VA Reports 6488 Veteran Suicides in 2024 and Expands Prevention

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recorded 6,488 veteran suicide deaths nationwide in 2024, averaging 17.7 deaths per day, according to its 2026 Annual Veterans Suicide Prevention Report released September 30, 2026. The report highlights gaps in access to health care and rising suicide rates among veterans who are not enrolled in the VA health system.

In Ohio, 248 veterans died by suicide in 2024, according to the report. The state's estimated veteran population was 656,000, with a reported suicide rate of 37.6 per 1,000.

The report found that 62% of veterans who died by suicide in 2024 had not received VA health care either during the year of their deaths or in the preceding year. Nationally, suicide rates among veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration fell 4.8% from 2023 to 2024, while rates among veterans not enrolled rose 3.7%.

The findings reinforce the importance of reaching veterans outside the VA health system, particularly those experiencing mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or challenges following their transition out of military service.

The report also examined suicide trends from 2001 through 2024, analyzing factors including age, sex, race, suicide method, and health care utilization. Many veterans who died by suicide had recently received diagnoses related to mental health or substance use, while recently separated service members with mental health conditions faced elevated risk.

The VA has expanded access to its health system over the past two decades. According to the report, the proportion of veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration increased from 19.5% in 2001 to 50.1% in 2024.

In 2026, the department launched a campaign that helped enroll more than 280,000 additional veterans in the health system. A separate initiative, the Veterans Interoperability Pledge, began in February 2025 in partnership with civilian health care providers and helped the VA identify and contact more than 140,000 at-risk veterans who had not previously accessed its care.

The VA and the Department of War signed a memorandum of understanding in May 2025 to improve the transition process for departing service members. Through August 2026, the VA had completed more than 5.5 million suicide risk screenings, approximately 100,000 more than it had conducted through August 2025.

VA Secretary Doug Collins said the department was prioritizing access to treatment and benefits for veterans who had not enrolled in its health system.

"VA health care saves lives, so we're making every effort to get more veterans into the (VHA) system to get the care and benefits they've earned," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

The department's efforts include expanding outreach and screening programs to identify veterans who may be at risk, including those who have not previously sought VA care.

"That means deploying innovative new ways of reaching non-enrolled veterans into the VHA, screening them for suicide risk and expanding suicide prevention training both inside and outside the VA," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

The report also highlighted access to emergency treatment. Under the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care and Treatment Act of 2020, eligible veterans can receive emergency suicide prevention care and benefits at any emergency medical department without cost. Nearly 50,000 veterans had used the benefit since 2023, according to the report.

The VA's latest findings build on earlier figures showing 6,398 veteran suicide deaths in 2023, an average of approximately 17.5 per day. That total was 44 lower than the 2022 figure, according to the report discussed by The Online Clarion.

Separately, the Department of Defense reported 523 suicide deaths among active-duty service members, reservists, and National Guard members in 2023, up from 493 in 2022. These figures cover military personnel rather than veterans and represent a distinct measure of suicide risk.

The 2023 data also showed that 61% of veterans who died by suicide had not received VA health care during the preceding year. A VA review of suicide deaths between 2021 and 2023 identified pain as the most frequently recorded risk factor, highlighting the relevance of physical health alongside mental health care.

Military culture often emphasizes resilience, discipline, emotional control, and continued performance under pressure. These expectations can make it difficult for some service members and veterans to acknowledge distress or seek mental health treatment, according to the commentary published by The Online Clarion.

The VA has emphasized community-based prevention because many veterans who die by suicide are not connected to its health care system. Families, friends, fellow service members, employers, community organizations, and civilian health providers can all play roles in recognizing distress and maintaining contact with veterans who may be struggling.

Federal prevention efforts also include Executive Order 13861, signed by the president on March 5, 2019. The order established the President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide, known as PREVENTS, with an approach that calls for coordination across sectors to address veteran suicide.