“I’m not sure what to say…”: Helping clinicians incorporate knowledge of military culture into suicide prevention efforts with military-connected clients

Body of Abstract: Providing culturally competent care is a standard across behavioral health professions. Military culture has its own unique language, customs, norms, and expectations that clinical providers should be familiar with when working with service members, veterans, and their families (Meyer et al., 2016). Incorporating an understanding of military culture into clinical practice is of particular importance when treating military-connected clients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

According to the Department of Defense's Annual Report on Suicide in the Military (2023), suicide rates among active-duty personnel have been rising since 2011. It is crucial for behavioral health providers, whether on or off military installations, to assess for unique risk and protective factors and tailor their interventions to reflect aspects of military culture. Clinicians working within the Military Health System are often more attuned to the impact of military culture on a client's presentation than their counterparts in the private sector (Hepner et al., 2023). Civilian providers may struggle to know how to communicate with military-connected clients effectively. However, integrating an understanding of military experiences into clinical care can lead to more effective interventions.

The Veterans Administration/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline for Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide (2024) emphasizes the importance of safety planning as a routine component of care for clients at risk for suicide. To create a high-quality safety plan, clinicians must ensure that it aligns with a client's lived experience and reflects their culture, values, and circumstances (Green et al., 2018). This presentation will offer tools and language for clinicians to use while developing safety plans with service members and veterans

Another key recommendation in suicide prevention clinical interventions is the inclusion of lethal means safety counseling (Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense, 2024). Research indicates that safely storing easily accessible lethal means, such as firearms, can reduce the number of suicide deaths (Barber, 2014). However, some clinicians feel uncomfortable discussing lethal means safety with military and veteran clients, fearing it is outside their scope of practice or may jeopardize their therapeutic alliance (Hoyt et al., 2021). This presentation will provide strategies for clinicians to overcome this hesitance and foster a collaborative, client-focused approach.

Disclaimer:
The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., the Uniformed Services University, or the Department of Defense. The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate between rates of suicide in civilian and military populations.
• Apply understanding of unique risk and protective factors with military-connected clients to inform risk assessments.
• Integrate knowledge of military culture into key suicide prevention interventions including safety planning and lethal means safety counseling.