Congressional Briefing - May 10, 2011

The War Within: Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military

a depressed man praying or thinking

Presenter:

Rajeev Ramchand Behavioral Scientist, RAND Corporation

Introduction:

Terri Tanielian Coleader, RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research

Date:

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Time:

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location:

2103 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
 

About the Program

Lengthy and multiple tours of duty are exacting a substantial toll on members of the U.S. armed forces. Until 2006, the year for which the most recent national suicide data is available, the suicide rate in the military was lower than among civilians of comparable age, sex, and racial profiles. Since then, the military suicide rate has climbed higher, suggesting that this gap is narrowing and for some services the rate may actually exceed that of the comparable civilian population.

RAND recently published The War Within: Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military, which looked at the following:

  • What is the suicide rate in the military services and who is at risk for suicide?
  • What is the Department of Defense doing to prevent suicides?
  • How does the science suggest suicides can best be prevented, and how might the military benefit from this science?

Please join us to hear these findings and recommendations informed by research conducted in both civilian and military sectors for the Department of Defense.

About RAND

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND focuses on the issues that matter most, such as health, education, national security, international affairs, law and business, the environment, and more. As a nonpartisan organization, RAND operates independent of political and commercial pressures. We serve the public interest by helping lawmakers reach informed decisions on the nation's pressing challenges. Visit us online at www.rand.org.

About the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research

The goal of the Center for Military Health Policy Research is to help Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs meet the challenges of providing the best care possible to this diverse population, while containing costs.

Further Inquiries

For further information about this event, contact the Office of Congressional Relations at ocr@rand.org or call (703) 413-1100, ext. 5395.