Mississippi NewsNational NewsTippah County News

Data details Mississippi veteran suicide rate

A review of the data from the most recent year available paints a dark picture: Mississippi veterans are committing suicide at an alarming rate.

The data, compiled by the Mental Health division of the VA, lists suicide rates for veterans in all 50 states.

Mississippi veterans commit suicide at a rate that is 70% higher than the national average for non-veteran suicide.

There were 58 total Mississippi veteran suicides in 2015 (the last year data was available) with the vast majority coming by firearms.

If you are a veteran dealing with depression or suicidal thoughts, you can call the veterans crisis line at 1-800-273-8255.

Jon Ross Myers

Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *