Crisis Intercept Mapping for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families—Applications and Updates

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Annual Suicide Report, of the over 6,100 Veteran deaths by suicide in 2020, nearly 40% of the decedents had no contact with either the Veterans Health Administration or the Veterans Benefits Administration at any time before their death (VA, 2022). This indicates that there continues to be a need for community agencies to be involved in identifying and addressing Veterans experiencing distress or a suicidal crisis. Additionally, “Enhance Crisis Care and Facilitate Care Transitions” was identified as a Priority Goal when the White House published its Reducing Military and Veteran Suicide Strategy in 2021 (White House, 2021). To support this goal, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will continue to expand the Crisis Intercept Mapping (CIM) initiative to support communities around the country to identify gaps and incorporate best practices in suicide prevention for members of the military-affiliated community interacting with community crisis systems.

This webinar will provide attendees with updated information regarding CIM for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) Suicide Prevention, as well as examples of how state-wide coordination of the CIM process can enhance crisis response across a range of communities. We will also present findings from an analysis of the results of CIM workshops provided to a wide range of communities over a period of 3 years. Participants will have an opportunity to learn how they can support SMVF engaging in the community crisis system and hear about opportunities for future engagement.