Empowering veterans

Preventing suicide through resources and research

About 20 veterans and active military personnel die from suicide per day, according to the latest figures from VA researchers. It’s a mental health crisis that cannot be solved by the federal government alone. Nearly 70% of veterans who end their lives by suicide have not recently received VA health care services, revealing the need for community resources available at ASU and elsewhere to fill the gap.

ASU has forged a joint venture with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families to engage and align public and private sector efforts and stakeholders on the national, state and local level for veteran suicide prevention. As an upstream model, Arizona’s Be Connected program helps clients navigate the complex health and social services systems to connect to resources they need before they reach a crisis point.

Service members, veterans and their families can access the program by meeting with a resource navigator in person, calling a support line, matching to resources on the web platform beconnectedaz.org or participating in resource navigation and suicide prevention training. The program has partnered with hundreds of organizations statewide to vet more than 1,400 resources and provide a wide range of services through a single, centralized platform.

ASU’s College of Health Solutions plays a key role in this program by collecting and evaluating data, including daily metrics, support line and navigator encounter data, and conducting the Arizona Veteran Survey, a biennial statewide survey of the military and veteran community. Synthesizing this data helps the program tailor its interventions and services to better meet community needs.

The Be Connected model is an exemplar for working toward health equity for the U.S. military and veteran community. The program has earned national recognition through the Mayor’s and Governor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and Their Families, organized by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and VA. It was singled out by the White House as a program of distinction.

Enhancing human performance

The science of human performance is rapidly evolving as major advances in research, innovation and technology contribute to a greater understanding of the intersections between physical and behavioral health. These advances hold great promise for the more than 17% of veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injury after serving in Afghanistan or Iraq, a condition that places them at higher risk for depression or suicide. Research in this field also benefits military veterans recovering from other injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder, which afflicts up to 20% of those who served in combat, depending on the era of service. Discoveries also provide new solutions to a broad spectrum of individuals wishing to recover or enhance mental and physical performance.

ASU will leverage a global network of experts in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, biomechanics, endocrinology, psychology, behavior, nutrition, pharmacy, policy, education and communications. Researchers will study military veterans and professional athletes to improve prevention, recovery, resilience and longevity through a deeper understanding of the causal factors of injury.

The research will translate into:

• State-of-the-art technologies and products.

• New training, coaching and consultancy approaches.

• Nutritional and pharmaceutical solutions.

• Discoveries that will inform advocacy in shaping public policy.

ASU leads in enrollment among military-friendly schools

With more than 10,500 veterans, active duty and military family members served by the Pat Tillman Veterans Center, ASU is a top choice and leader in enrollment among the nation’s schools recognized as the most military-friendly.

Air University partnership

The Air Force’s intellectual and leadership development center partnered with ASU to transform the distance learning experience for Air Force officers and civilians. Through its online learning enterprise EdPlus, ASU established an innovative digital platform for Air University’s Squadron Officer School. The platform provides an enriched digital environment with superior accessibility, reliability and around-the-clock support. The partnership marks the first time the U.S. military partnered with a civilian university to help deliver professional military education for commissioned officers.