Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance Center

Challenge

Death by suicide continues to be an issue of major concern affecting military service members and veterans. Data from the Annual Report on Suicide in the Military: Calendar Year 2022 indicate that the active component (i.e., active duty personnel) suicide rate has gradually increased since 2011. The 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report indicates that the number of veteran suicides rose in 2021. While there are glimmers of hope that awareness and prevention efforts are making a difference, it is vital to take action to promote military service members’ mental health and help-seeking.

EDC provides suicide prevention subject matter expertise and technical assistance (TA) support for the Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance (SMVF TA) Center, which guides state and city leaders in implementing evidence-based suicide prevention strategies. As part of this work, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) partner to bring the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) to states, territories, and communities across the United States.

Key Activities

EDC staff engage in the following activities:

Deliver virtual and in-person TA to U.S. states and territories to help advance the Veterans Administration’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide 2018–2028, SAMHSA’s Strategic Planning Framework, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action
Promote suicide prevention best practices at Implementation and Suicide Mortality Review Team Academies convened by SAMHSA and VA as part of the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
Connect interagency teams with suicide prevention efforts and expertise at the federal level, across states and territories, and in their local communities

Impact

The SMVF TA Center has:

Reached 50 states and five territories through the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
Reached 22 cities through the Mayor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families