On December 4, 2019, McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy Ronald C. Kessler, PhD,  testified before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel at a hearing on military suicide prevention.

During his testimony, Kessler endorsed the use of risk reduction and resilience-building to prevent suicide and suicide-related behaviors in the Department of Defense (DoD) and among Veteran Affairs (VA).

The rising suicide rate among the DoD and VA are “fundamentally a problem of unresolved or unidentified mental illness,” Kessler told the committee, noting that the success of treating mental disorders among patients who have not yet become suicidal compares favorably with the treatments of most physical disorders. In order to reach patients at this point, increased care is need across all fronts, from active military members to veterans.

Kessler urged congress to invest in precision medicine and methods that will help “pick the right treatment for the right patient right away.” He suggested inception surveys for all DoD personnel, similar to the existing Army STARRS survey that has continued for a decade. Currently, the DoD and VA cannot share medical records, which is crucial for continuing care during the transition from active duty to veteran status. The existing measurement-based care systems and precision medicine guidelines need rigorous evaluation and expansion.

Kessler stressed that although his list of potential actions was long, there is much to be done to address the problem of military and veteran suicide.

A recording of the testimony can be viewed on C-SPAN.