Suicide Hot Line Received Calls From 22,000 Veterans

WASHINGTON — More than 22,000 veterans have sought help from a special suicide hot line in its first year, and 1,221 suicides have been averted, the government says.

According to a recent RAND Corp. study, roughly one in five soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan displays symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, putting them at a higher risk for suicide. Researchers at Portland State University found that male veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide than men who are not veterans.

This month, a former Army medic, Joseph Dwyer, who was shown in a Military Times photograph running through a battle zone carrying an Iraqi boy, died of an accidental overdose after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder for almost five years.

Janet Kemp, national suicide prevention coordinator for the Veterans Affairs Department, said the hot line is in place to help prevent deaths such as Dwyer's. "We just want them to know there's other options and people do care about them, and we can help them make a difference in their lives," she said in an interview.

The VA teamed up with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to launch the hot line last July after years of criticism that the VA wasn't doing enough to help wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In April, two veterans groups sued the VA, citing long delays for processing applications and other problems in treatment for veterans at risk for suicide. The department has spent $2.9 million on the hot line thus far.

The hot line receives up to 250 calls per day _ double the average number calling when it began. Kemp said callers are divided evenly between veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam wars. Richard McKeon, public health adviser for SAMHSA, said 10 to 20 of the 1,575 calls received each week have to be rerouted to high-volume backup call centers throughout the country.

The VA estimates that every year 6,500 veterans take their own lives. The mental health director for the VA, Ira Katz, said in an e-mail last December that of the 18 veterans who commit suicide each day, four to five of them are under VA care, and 12,000 veterans under VA care are attempting suicide each year.

This month, the hot line began an advertising campaign in Washington area subway stations and buses featuring the slogan, "It takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help."

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The veterans hot line, which is linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, received 55,000 callers in its first year, including both veterans and people who are concerned about them, according to figures being released Monday. One-third of the 40 specially trained counselors are veterans themselves.

"We try to get them (callers) to talk about their situation and what they remember and see if they can identify exactly what their issues are. I think there's a comfort in knowing that they can get some help from people who do understand what combat stress is like," Kemp said.

From the call center, counselors instantly can check a veteran's medical records and then connect the caller to local VA suicide prevention coordinators for follow-up, monitoring and care at local VA medical centers. Kemp said that since the hot line started, 106 veterans have been steered to free medical care from the VA.

Kemp said the hot line was put in place specifically for those veterans who don't get enough help until it's too late. "They have indicated to us that they are in extreme danger, either they have guns in their hand or they're standing on a bridge, or they've already swallowed pills," she said. Kemp said 1,221 veterans who were in such situations were rescued during the hot line's first year.

The VA is preparing for the eventual return of a large number of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. This could put added stress on the mental health screening program for returning veterans, which could lead to a rise in undiagnosed mental health issues. The VA recently got enough money to double its suicide prevention staff and is planning to hire 212 more people soon.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by calling 800-273-TALK (8255); veterans should press "1" after being connected.

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On the Net:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Comments

[dsmithd]

Is it true?
Is it true that more soldiers have died by their own hand than have been killed In Iraq?

Sad commentary on a war that shouldn't have happened and that isn't real for most Americans.

[klmebane]

"...106 veterans have been steered to free medical care from the VA."

oh my god, you mean to tell me that our troops risk life and limb and then get FREE medical care? but, but, but, that's SOCIALISM!! the only group in this country that should get any kind of free anything is the corporations. they need help more than the individual who can't afford medical care. those people shoulda just got a better job! now the corporations need taxpayer help to pay of bad investments. this is america. big business is ALL that matters!

*sarcasm

[nirek]

THANKS w

[sharonh]

True story. Acquaintance comes home to Tampa from Iraq and displays all the abnormal social coping skills expected, ends up crawling up the VA hos steps only to be ejected by their security and perhaps jailed, although I cannot attest to that. Where was his help. It is not news these people will have scars and need help. Add this cost to the long legacy of GWH burden and God help them all.

[Jessegirl]

And John McCain would dare call these men "defeatist" if they came home before the "great unknown" success.

[Jessegirl]

This photo represents the the "real human story" behind those White House talking points.
These honorable, brave men are viewed are as "defeatist" by John McCain if they are brought home before the "great unknown" success. How could you DARE put that label on the "gems" of this generation? Bush...Dick...Condi...and McCain can all go cry in shame together when American troops finally start coming home with the highet level dignity.

[esquire07]

They did there job - made a fortune for the Oilmen and Arms dealers. The Bush family has profited handsomly by their sacrifice... Dick Cheney and his buddies at Halliburton and KBR have profited beyond there wildest belief. And, in the end... that is all that matters.

America will forget the vets. All that matters is Corporate War Profitiering.

Welcome to the Military Industrial Complex and eternal War. Human beings - troops - do not matter.

[Kay54]

The MSM totally ignores this horrifc problem...but then again, they did nothing for the Vietnam vets who came home and where shunned because of a war that we should not have been a part of. This is the same scenario. If the MSM cares about soldiers of this country and who the next POTUS should be, they need to LIST ALL THE BILLS THAT WERE PUT IN FRONT OF SENATE REGARDING THE miltary that he voted against. Especially the Webb bill, which he voted against, but Bush declared he voted for and stood behind. Someone needs to step up and lay this out so this country can see that John McCain is NOT "COUNTRY FIRST"

Our soldiers volunteer to protect this country, but yet they are the lowest paid Americans in this country. The latest AD McCain put out just shows he is only worried about making sure the war continues and trillion of dollars fly out the USA. Obviously, he cares less about the people of this country, because we are not all military. He is living in an alternate universe. Lord help us all.

[RaraAvis17]

All I know is we are not doing enough to help them.

[Destin]

Sad that so many veterans are in such bad shape, and so little care it seems. To listen at all the Bush backers on tv, you'd think that todays soldiers are living a wonderful life and things are going swimmingly in their personal lives.

Interesting to note that a few members of the Bush administration have been members of this Rand Corp, such as Paul O'Neill, Donald Rumsfeld, Condaleeza Rice and Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Also another neocon by the name of Henry Kissinger was with them. ;)

[Soothsayer08]

This is just shameful. Our country uses these people and then literally throws them away after their military service has ended.

[edwarvir]

The government does need to do more for them. Therapy should be part of their
health package when they come back home. We must pray for these brave
men and women.

[esquire07]

Lol... Pray ??? Yea that will do alot of good. They sacrificed themselves to benefit the American War Machine. Now they will be thrown into the trash, just like the Constituion.

Dead US Troops = Halliburton Profits = Money in Dick Cheney's bloody war Criminal Pockets.

In the end, that is all that matters.

[klmebane]

i think they need a little more than simple prayer. faith may help some people get through hard times, but prayer itself doesn't actually solve a problem. some people who believe that strongly may make good things happen for themselves through what is sometimes called a psychosomatic effect (in the case of a physical or mental ailment) but prayer itself doesn't make anybody better or fix any scenario.

there are millions who very much believe in god and pray to him and things still turn to s*it. we need to focus on enacting policies that WILL help these troops, and policies that help every american or visitor in this country.

[Klip]

Don't answer the phone!

[GoCards1978]

It's the least we can do for these veterans.

[Chavez08]

The least we can do is make sure the Necon crime family is brought to (REAL) justice for their crimes.

Then all vets should get free college and healthcare.

[Zhonni]

My heart aches whenever I hear something like this because I could have been in the same position had our mission not changed in Iraq.

THE GOV. NEEDS TO DO MORE AND WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE PLEASE!

[sheikwil]

This is why America cannot vote McCain into the White House, because the suicide rate will only go up if these soldiers which a lot of them are just kids have to stay in Iraq and lose their lives or witness their friends dying or see the horror of death that war causes. This breaks my heart and McCain refused to sign the full GI Bill.