Jim Stanek, co-founder of Paws and Stripes in New Mexico, gives a rescued dog a treat. Paws and Stripes provides service dogs for veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. (U.S. Air Force)
WASHINGTON — Veterans who were homeless or had a recent diagnosis of traumatic brain injury had sharply higher rates of suicide in 2023 than the rest of the veteran population, according to an annual report published Thursday by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The suicide rate for veterans with a recent diagnosis of traumatic brain injury was 94% higher than for veterans without a diagnosis, according to the report. The rate among homeless veterans was 146% higher when compared to veterans with housing.
The 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report — based on death certificate data from 2023 — showed elevated suicide rates among some of the more vulnerable veteran populations, according to the findings.
Suicide was the 12th-leading cause of death for veterans.
There were 6,398 suicides among veterans in 2023, down by 44 over the prior year. The majority of deaths were by firearm.
“Veteran suicide has been a scourge on our nation for far too long,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins, after the agency’s annual findings were released.
The VA has a round-the-clock hotline that fielded 1.3 million calls, chats and texts in fiscal 2025.
The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by dialing 988 + 1, or texting 838255.
The new findings were published in two parts — an overview and in-depth analysis with a state-by-state look.
Although the number of veteran suicides in 2023 decreased over the previous year, the rate was more than 1.5 times higher than in the general adult population.
The VA’s yearly analysis of veteran suicides highlighted several other findings.
More than half of veterans who died by suicide had documented problems with chronic pain and sleeplessness.
Nearly a quarter had reported financial problems.
Younger adults — ages 18 to 34 — had a higher suicide rate than other age groups.
More than 60% of veterans who took their own lives in 2023 were not receiving health care services from the VA, according to the report.
“Most veterans who die by suicide were not in recent VA care, so making it easier for those who have worn the uniform to access the VA benefits they have earned is key,” Collins said.
The VA’s yearly report offers the public and policymakers a comprehensive look at veteran suicides across the nation. It is used to develop and fund programs that seek to address risks and prevent suicides.
The publication of the 2025 report had been delayed for about two months, prompting demands by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., for its release. Blumenthal is the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The report is released to the public when it is issued to Congress. The VA last issued the report in December 2024.
In January, the VA launched an outreach campaign that led to thousands of unenrolled veterans signing up for VA health care, the agency said.
The VA is currently reviewing its suicide prevention programs to better gauge their impact, refine efforts that need improvement and prioritize initiatives demonstrating positive outcomes, Collins said.
