Note from MOAA: If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 (press 1) or via www.veteranscrisisline.net.

VA’s latest National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report offers a reminder that while progress is being made in preventing veteran suicide, it requires a sustained commitment from policymakers, health care providers, veterans organizations, and communities across the country.

The report found 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024 – an average of 17.7 deaths per day – while continuing to demonstrate the connection between access to care and improved outcomes. Veterans enrolled in VA health care experienced a 4.8% decrease in suicide rates from 2023 to 2024, while rates increased 3.7% among veterans not enrolled in VA care.

[RELATED: Omnibus Legislation May Offer a Lifeline for Some Veterans]

Veterans remain at elevated suicide risk, with suicide rates 56.5% higher among male veterans and nearly twice as high among women veterans than the nonveteran population, according to the report. Further, veterans ages 18-34 experienced the highest suicide rates of any veteran age group, highlighting the continued need for targeted outreach, transition support, and access to mental health services.

For MOAA, the report serves as both a measure of progress and a call to action. While the findings demonstrate investments in outreach, treatment, and prevention can save lives, they also highlight the need to better connect veterans with the care, benefits, and support services they have earned.

The latest VA data reinforces a simple but important truth: Connecting veterans to care saves lives. Congress can help advance that goal through the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (TCAVA), a broad legislative package that would improve access to health care and benefits while strengthening mental health and suicide prevention resources for veterans, servicemembers, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Support the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act]

Preventing veteran suicide is a shared responsibility that extends beyond government. Meaningful progress depends on partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies; health care providers; community organizations; and veterans groups like MOAA. Through our advocacy efforts, we will continue working with lawmakers and our partners to advance policies that expand access to care and benefit services as well as strengthen mental health and suicide prevention programs to better support the veteran community.

The findings in VA’s latest report should serve as a call to action for lawmakers. Advancing TCAVA would strengthen health care, mental health, caregiver, and community-based services for veterans while helping ensure more veterans receive the support they need when they need it most. MOAA members and partners can play an important role by making their voices heard through our Legislative Action Center and urging Congress to act on these critical reforms.