The Veterans Crisis Line is available before things get bad — not only when they have reached the worst point. VA and its own crisis responders are now saying plainly that calling early, when life is hard but not yet critical, is exactly what the line is for.
What the latest numbers show
VA released its 2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report on September 30. The report covers veteran suicide from 2001 through 2024.
The findings that matter most for our members:
- 6,488 veterans died by suicide in 2024, an average of 17.7 per day.
- 62 percent of those veterans were not receiving VA healthcare in the year they died or the year before.
- From 2023 to 2024, suicide rates for veterans enrolled in VA healthcare fell 4.8 percent. For unenrolled veterans, rates rose 3.7 percent.
Being enrolled in VA healthcare is not required to use the Veterans Crisis Line. If a member is not enrolled — or is not sure whether they are — the line is still open to them.
You do not have to be in crisis to call
VA’s acting executive director for suicide prevention said the line is not only for moments of acute emergency. Reaching out before a situation becomes critical gives crisis responders and peer support specialists the chance to listen, help connect a veteran to resources, and reduce risk before it builds.
Peer support specialists on the VCL staff are veterans themselves. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
How to reach the Veterans Crisis Line
- Call: Dial 988, then press 1
- Text: Send a message to 838255
- Chat: VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat
All three options are free and confidential. You do not need to be enrolled in VA benefits or healthcare to use any of them.
If you want to talk to someone local
Post 72’s officers can point you toward the Department of Utah’s service officers, who can help connect members to VA care and mental health resources. Contact information for the Department of Utah is available at utlegion.org.
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