When it
comes to supporting veterans and service members who face difficult challenges,
we’re all in this together. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urges
everyone to stay alert for signs of crisis in veterans and service members
and be prepared to help them access the support they have earned. It Matters: Because
one small act can make the difference.
If a
veteran you know is showing signs of crisis, such as expressing hopelessness, experiencing
anxiety, or withdrawing from family members and friends, call on the Veterans
Crisis Line. This VA call center is staffed
by caring professionals—some of them veterans themselves—who are ready to
listen, provide support, and connect veterans to VA resources in their local
area.
The
Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that veterans and service
members in need and their loved ones can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
365 days a year. You can call on behalf of a veteran or encourage the veteran
to call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text to 838255 for free,
confidential support.
Help
spread the word to veterans in your community by visiting VeteransCrisisLine.net/SpreadtheWord and downloading free Veterans
Crisis Line materials. If your local VFW Post would like to sponsor an event on
suicide prevention and invite someone from VA to speak, use the site’s resource locator to find
your local
Suicide Prevention Coordinator who can talk about VA resources and train people
to recognize the signs of crisis.
To stay informed
about this topic year-round, sign up for
quarterly emails
about the Veterans Crisis Line to be the first to hear about news and tools to
help raise awareness of this lifesaving resource.
Tell the
veterans and service members you know and love: Support is just a call, click,
or text away. It Matters.