If you are a Vet or Service Member who is having a hard time, know that you are not alone. Here are resources you can contact today:
For those seeking help, the suicide prevention and crisis helpline is available 24 hours a day in English or Spanish by dialing or texting 988. The help line, which can also be reached at 1-800-273-8255, also has the ability to translate services into 250 additional languages.
Veterans can reach specialized care by dialing 988 and then pressing 1, or by texting 838255.
For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, teletypewriter users can use a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 988.
To reach the Native and Strong lifeline, callers can dial 988 and then press 4 to speak with a Native mental health professional.
Washington State has a new protection order system.
Protection orders can be a helpful tool to prevent future harm when someone may be experiencing abuse, assault, stalking, harassment, or
Many veterans may feel misunderstood when trying to discuss things they may have done or seen or been an active participant in,” Foster said. “It’s hard to open up to people and talk about those things, or any shame you experience, if you feel like judgment is an outcome of the things you say.
In Washington State, firearms are the leading cause of suicide for Veterans and Service Members. We can and will do better by our Service Members, whether they are active duty, reserve or Veterans.
Launched in 2020, the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families is a collaborative public-health initiative aiming to reduce suicide rates among Washington’s SMVF population by 20% by 2025. It targets risk identification, community connectedness, care transitions, lethal-means safety, and awareness through multi-sector collaboration.
Of the 18 veteran deaths by suicide every day,13 are from a self-inflicted firearm injury,according to a 2023 Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention report.
