Department of Defense Highlights its Commitment to Taking Care of People During Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month 2024

This September, the Department of Defense (DoD) highlights Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month through its campaign, "Joining Your Fight: Connect to Protect."

"Suicide prevention takes a community to create change, to sustain hope, and to convey that we are all in this together," said Dr. Liz Clark, director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO). "I know the work is not easy, but we must look out for each other and draw strength from each other as we light a path forward. Each death by suicide is one too many, and the Department is deeply committed to ending the scourge of suicide throughout the force."

This year's campaign serves as a call to action to increase connection, safety, and hope across the greater military community. Over the last several years, the Department has taken unprecedented actions towards addressing this critical public health crisis, including the establishment of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee (SPRIRC). The SPRIRC, which was comprised of a panel of outside experts, made over 100 recommendations to the Department to improve its suicide prevention and response programs.

In support of the work done by the SPRIRC, the Department is implementing actions across five lines of efforts (LOEs), including fostering a supportive environment for Service members, improving the delivery of mental health care, addressing stigma and other barriers to care, revising existing suicide training, and promoting a culture of lethal means safety.

"Taking care of our military community is our top priority," said Elizabeth Foster, executive director of the Office of Force Resiliency. "We are committed to reducing the number of deaths by suicide throughout our Armed Forces and will continue to aggressively implement the SPRIRC recommendations as approved by the Secretary of Defense to build a foundation for long-term progress."

The Department encourages Service members, civilians, and their families to reach out for help, support those who may need help, and connect with those in your military community. If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are not alone. Call the Veteran's Crisis Hotline at 9-8-8 and visit https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ to learn more.