Advocating for Social Change: Techniques and Tools

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), on average, about 20 veterans commit suicide every day (Suicide among veterans, 2016). The transition from active military service to civilian life frequently exacerbates any existing mental health disorders, and far too many veterans fail to seek the help they need to cope. In this regard, Albright and Borah (2017) emphasize that, “Mental health concerns such as posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression can be significant problems for these populations which lead to increased risk for suicidal ideation, attempts, and completed suicides” (p. 11). Although this population is 50% more likely to commit suicide than the American population at large, those who do seek help are far less likely to commit suicide (Spiva, 2019).

What is especially troubling about these alarming statistics, though, is the fact that many Americans are unaware of this social problem and even fewer would likely know how to help even if they were aware. Because this population is routinely lauded for their heroic service by the American public, it is reasonable to suggest that many people would want to help if they were aware of the staggering number of veterans who die from suicide each year and knew how to help stop this problem. Some of the action steps that can be taken in this regard include the following:

1. Raise community awareness of the problem of veteran suicides by disseminating information materials such as the flyer attached hereto which can be easily posted in retail businesses’ windows and distributed by volunteers to people’s homes.

2. Encourage citizens to volunteer at their local VA medical centers and Vet Centers.

3. Partner with local marketing organizations to develop a public awareness commercial concerning the number of veteran suicides each year for presentation on television and social media platforms such as YouTube.

References

Albright, D. L. & Borah, E. V. (2017, Spring). Mental health practice with military- and veteran-connected populations. Best Practices in Mental Health, 13(1), 11-13.

Spiva, D. (2019, January). Veterans 50 percent more likely to commit suicide. VFW Magazine, 106(4), 8.Suicide among veterans. (2016). Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from https://www. mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/2016suicidedatareport.pdf.