The Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Center of Inquiry—Suicide Prevention Collaborative: Creating Novel Approaches to Suicide Prevention Among Veterans Receiving Community Services

This study describes the Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Center of Inquiry—Suicide Prevention Collaborative (PSCI-SPC), a program aimed at reducing suicide rates among veterans who are not connected to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. The initiative focuses on community-based interventions and creating partnerships between VHA and community organizations to address this critical gap. It employs innovative strategies to improve access to mental health services and enhance suicide prevention efforts.

The PSCI-SPC initiative uses a multi-faceted approach to address veteran suicide prevention:

• Development of collaborations with community organizations, such as nonprofit groups, local health systems, and academic institutions.
• A structured process was used to share VHA suicide prevention best practices with community partners, fostering knowledge exchange and implementation.
• Pilot test included implementation and testing of affordable, evidence-based suicide prevention interventions for veterans, regardless of VHA eligibility.
• Analyzed implementation outcomes to refine and disseminate effective practices.

The study highlights several key outcomes:

• Formed a learning collaborative with 13 community organizations in Colorado, including mental health clinics and veterans’ service organizations.
• Suicide prevention measures reached over 21,000 individuals, including more than 2,500 veterans.
• Over 300 individuals received training in suicide prevention strategies.
• Creation of an implementation toolkit to guide community organizations in adopting suicide prevention practices.

The PSCI-SPC initiative demonstrates the importance of bridging the gap between VHA and community organizations to address the needs of veterans at risk for suicide. Key recommendations include:

• Expanding community partnerships to increase the reach of suicide prevention efforts.
• Providing targeted training for community organizations in military cultural competence and evidence-based suicide prevention practices.
• Disseminating toolkits and resources to support the implementation of best practices in diverse community settings.

This collaborative approach offers a promising model for reducing suicide rates among veterans who are not connected to VHA care, emphasizing the value of community-based solutions.