A full continuum of care includes not only hotlines and helplines but also mobile crisis teams, walk-in crisis clinics, hospital-based psychiatric emergency services, and peer-support programs.
Crisis services directly address suicide risk by providing evaluation, stabilization, and referrals to ongoing care.
Provider actions
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the suicide rate is 1.5x greater for Veterans than non-Veterans.
As a community provider, you may face challenges when treating a Veteran at risk of suicide.
Provide the right interventions at the right time.
Assessment of prior suicide attempt(s), current psychiatric conditions (e.g., mood disorders, substance use disorders) or symptoms (e.g., hopelessness, insomnia, and agitation), prior psychiatric hospitalization, and recent bio-psychosocial stressors.
