Oral

The proposed session will provide an overview of recent and currently funded research on suicide among Veterans of U.S. military service. Presentations included in the session will highlight results from a recently released suicide data report including facility-level analyses of risk associated rates of firearm suicide, qualitative analyses of clinician and patient relationships related to suicide risk assessment, assessment for suicide in primary care, and suicide among women Veterans. Session participants include experts in the area of suicide risk and management of risk in clinical settings and leaders in the development of research priorities and the development of public health suicide prevention programs. Sessions included in the session will directly address priority programs or Veteran populations identified in VA's recently released suicide data report. Results from research on risk for suicide among Veterans will be presented along with a broader discussion of priorities for mental health services research and program development. An invited discussant will review results from invited session presenters and provide examples of how mental health services research is used to inform policy and program development.

Session Objectives: Describe results from recent and ongoing research on suicide risk among Veterans. Identify emerging priorities for mental health services research related to risk for suicide. Discuss recommendations for programs informed by results from current research.