On average, 17 Veterans die a day from suicide.  Veterans are one of the most high-risk groups for suicide.  Many veterans have experienced long absences from their family and friends which may present challenges when they return home after leaving the military.  Some may be suffering from PTSD, substance use, or other mental health issues.  Others may be returning to rural environments which can be far from services that they need.  In this episode, we sit down with Brent Arnspiger, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Veterans Affairs (VA) in Houston.

Arnspiger shares the robust resources the VA provides for Veterans struggling with suicide.  We also discuss the various obstacles to care from stigma, to seeking help, to addressing misinformation that exists about services within the VA.  Screeners used by the VA, and many other organizations, have proven to be highly effective in determining who is at risk of suicide.  For more on this, check out this week’s blog “Recognizing Suicide Risk.“