Abstract for: Reducing Veteran Suicide Risk in the USA

In the United States, the suicide rate among veterans is roughly twice that of the general population. United Services Automobile Association (USAA) has spearheaded the Face the Fight initiative to reduce this rate to at least the level of the general population in 10 years. We have developed a model that guides limited investment dollars to attain this goal. Interventions are currently focused in three areas: strategic arms storage, suicide-specific clinical programs, and support for people at risk. The population is divided into three distress categories - low, medium, and high - and interventions are distributed across these distress categories as appropriate. A clear conclusion from the model is community outreach and treatment is necessary to meet the program goals.