Lawmakers consider ways to reduce Oklahoma's high veteran suicide rate

Oklahoma had the nation's third highest rate of veteran suicide deaths in 2023.

The statistic was among several concerning trends raised during an interim study at the State Capitol this week. The meeting focused on whether legislative action is needed to improve access to care for Oklahoma's more than 270,000 veterans.

Presenters pointed to long wait times for physical and mental healthcare, access to firearms and gaps in veteran-specific services in rural Oklahoma as potential factors in the state's high veteran suicide rate.

The study was commissioned by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, who said she wanted to learn what resources are available to Oklahoma veterans and where additional investment may be needed.

Nationally, veterans accounted for about 13% of all suicides among U.S. adults in 2023, despite representing a much smaller share of the adult population, according to a 2025 annual report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It's the most recent comprehensive look at national veteran suicide data.

In Oklahoma, veterans die by suicide at an even higher rate.

"Oklahoma veteran suicide rates are 61% higher than veterans across the U.S., 104% higher than Oklahoma's general population and 212% higher than the U.S. general population," said Juli Leber, a policy analyst with Healthy Minds Policy Initiative.

Leber and other mental health experts at the interim study underscored the importance of an effective crisis response system in preventing suicide deaths, highlighting the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline as a valuable resource.

Oklahoma launched its 988 system in July 2022. Since then, the service has connected more than 178,000 Oklahomans with immediate support for mental health, substance use and suicide crises, according to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

State lawmakers earmarked nearly $6 million last year to keep local 988 Lifeline call centers operating, but will have to designate additional funds next year to keep them running.

Oklahoma's local 988 operators can dispatch mobile response teams and, in some cases, coordinate with law enforcement officers to respond to calls, but national dispatchers have more limited options.

Daphne Hillhouse, a suicide prevention coordinator with the VA of Eastern Oklahoma, said the distinction presents concerns for veteran callers, who can elect to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Veterans Crisis Line operates out of three call centers based in New York, Georgia and Kansas. Operators have been trained to help veterans and can send a referral to a state's VA chapter, but Hillhouse said VA of Eastern Oklahoma doesn't provide emergency transportation services.

"When they were in the military, a commanding officer could say, 'Go take care of yourself; I'm taking you down there myself," she said. "We can't. Veterans are civilians now. We can't force them against their will to get treatment."

Access to healthcare was another major focus of the study, particularly for veterans living outside Oklahoma's largest cities. According to data presented by Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, only about 20% of Oklahoma is within a 30-minute drive of a VA clinic or hospital that provides mental health services.

For veterans who do have access to VA facilities, wait times can create another barrier.

The average wait time for a mental health appointment for new patients is 37.7 days in Oklahoma City and 26.3 days in Eastern Oklahoma, Leber said. Meanwhile, VA access standards cap maximum allowable wait times for both physical and mental health services at 20 days.

Some states have passed laws intended to help identify veterans at risk of suicide. Washington, for example, has a law that requires medical health professionals to undergo suicide prevention training specific to veterans. Another state law requires higher education professionals to receive training for identifying and intervening with student veterans at risk of suicide.

But most veterans and service members who die by suicide do not disclose suicidal thoughts in the months before their deaths. Nearly two-thirds of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had not received VA healthcare during the year before their deaths.

Organizations serving veterans often lack a single, centralized way to connect veterans with available resources or comprehensively track whether they receive the care they need, presenters said.

Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Oklahoma City, who chairs the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and helped host the study, said the state needs to continue looking for ways to address mental health challenges among veterans and the broader population.

"I know we have a lot of work to do as far as mental health across the state," Stanley said. "We need to work further, harder, better, faster because we're not getting the job done that we need to get done. And I want you all to know that I'm willing to help you in any way that you need."

The interim study did not produce an immediate legislative proposal, but the information presented could help lawmakers determine what changes, if any, to pursue during the upcoming legislative session.

This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.