1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Suicide Rates and Risk Factors for the National Guard Kristy N. Kamarck Specialist in Military Manpower Bryce H. P. Mendez Analyst in Defense Health Care Policy Xavier L. Arriaga Research Associate September 9, 2019 In the
2、 past decade, federal and state governments have made a sustained effort to improve suicide prevention and response for the Armed Forces through funding, oversight, and legislation to enhance mental health and resiliency programs. The Department of Defenses Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) has repor
3、ted that overall military suicide rates for the Active and Reserve Components are generally comparable with those of the general U.S. population when adjusting for demographics (i.e., the military is younger and has a greater percentage of men than the general U.S. population). However, the suicide
4、mortality rate for the National Guard (NG)a segment of the Reserve Componenthas been consistently higher than that for active component members, other reservists, and a demographically similar portion of the general population. Only the veteran population has had an equivalent or higher adjusted sui