Research Roundup

Rocky Mountain MIRECC Suicide Prevention Research 2026

Last Suicide Prevention Month, we shared highlights from Rocky Mountain MIRECC’s research. This year, we’re updating ongoing studies and spotlighting new findings.

Suicide Prevention: Understanding the Full Picture

We study Veteran suicide from multiple angles and perspectives. Our research teams bring expertise about the many factors that contribute to suicide. Clinical researchers look at innovative treatments. We also explore strategies to bring suicide prevention best practices to communities.

Keep reading to learn about our work in 2026.

Assessing Social and Community Environments with National Data (ASCEND): Still Going Strong

ASCEND surveys Veterans across the U.S. to understand their environment, relationships and communities. Recent findings are critical to suicide prevention efforts:

• More than half of Veterans have access to firearms in their homes, a risk factor for suicide. Read survey results here 
• Lifetime suicidal ideation was reported by about 32% of Veterans. The most commonly considered method among those with past-year suicidal ideation was gunshot. View published findings
• Asian American Veterans were more likely to have attempted suicide during military service than non-Asian American Veterans. Read the article

Risk and Protective Factors

Our researchers and other colleagues found that suicide was associated with financial stressors in the prior twelve months (detailed results here). Examples of financial stressors include delinquent mortgage payments and late credit card payments. Visit FINVET to find money resources that can boost financial literacy and help navigate Veterans’ financial journey.

During transition from military to civilian life, most Veterans reported low initial financial well-being, but consistently high vocational and social well-being (published findings).

Researchers looked at newly identified suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among service members following traumatic brain injury (view findings). Findings highlight suicidal ideation and suicide attempt risk by sex, with females at higher risk than males.

We collaborated with other VA researchers to look at suicide risk for Veterans experiencing criminal legal involvement and/or homelessness (article available here). Findings show a high prevalence of suicide-related outcomes for Veterans in both groups, pointing to a potential need for augmented risk assessment.

Clinical Interventions

We contributed to research on the national implementation of the Safety Planning Intervention for VHA patients at risk for suicide. Of those who were supposed to complete a safety plan, about 98% did so within the required time frame (read findings).

We also collaborated on an examination of Suicide Prevention 2.0 (SP 2.0), expanding suicide prevention treatments via telehealth. By April 2023, SP 2.0 was available in all 139 VA health care systems. By September 2024, there were 23,628 referrals (article here).

Veterans and service members often face potentially morally injurious events that violate one’s morals and are related to increased suicide risk. A Rocky Mountain MIRECC team developed two interventions for moral injury. In preliminary research, both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI) and Present Centered Injury for Moral Injury (PCT-MI) were acceptable to Veterans. Veterans described ACT-MI as providing alternatives to suicidal behavior (published findings). A large national study is now underway to fully evaluate how well these interventions work.

Supporting Veterans in Community Settings

Nearly 60% of Veteran suicide deaths were among Veterans who had not recently used VHA services. How ready are community-based organizations to provide military competent care?

Research shows both a lack of awareness and readiness to provide Veteran suicide prevention programming. Findings point toward possible ways to strengthen a community-wide safety net (view study findings).

Rocky Mountain MIRECC hosts the VA Patient Safety Center of Inquiry - Suicide Prevention Collaborative (PSCI-SP). It supports innovation and dissemination of best practices for Veterans receiving community care. It features several VA-community learning collaboratives as well as Intensive Case Management interventions.

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Questions? Contact RockyMountainMIRECC@va.gov

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