Published September 24, 2026 at 5:29 AM EDT

Several organizations that work to support U.S. veterans gathered for a conversation Monday in Cumberland County to discuss the increasingly prominent issue of veteran suicide.

The latest data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported 269 veteran suicides in Pennsylvania in 2023, a 16% increase from 2021.

“Addressing it requires more than any one organization can do alone,” said Jeff King, the director of veterans’ programs at the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). “It requires collaboration. It requires awareness and a willingness to have an open and honest conversation.“

Monday’s roundtable was hosted at the American Legion State Headquarters by the DMVA and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). While work is being done year-round to address veterans’ issues, this was held during Suicide Prevention Month.

The DMVA received federal funding in 2025 to create the “Plan. Pause. Protect.” Campaign. The initiative works to connect veterans with mental health resources and educate about gun safety. Veteran firearm suicides increased 65% since 2001.

Patti Tanner is the “Plan. Pause. Protect.” program manager.

“The campaign also is just helping to educate not only veterans and service members themselves, but their family members, their community members, those people who are around them day in and day out, about the warning signs of suicide,” she said. “About how to approach these conversations because it’s really uncomfortable.”

To encourage a person to take a pause, they create a photo reminder of their reasons for living.

“We print photos for them of their reasons for living and then we have photo magnets and photo tags that people can then attach to their firearm cases or put on their firearm safe,” Tanner said. “So that any time you go to access it, that reminder is there.”

The first “Plan. Pause. Protect.” event was held in August in Greene County and another one is planned for Chester County in October.

Jen Smith is deputy secretary of the office of mental health and substance abuse services within the Pa. Department of Human Services, which helps to develop and administer the state’s suicide prevention plan.

She said her office is working to get the word out about what resources are available and make sure local support services are in place for a person in crisis. Veterans can call the suicide and crisis hotline, 988, and then dial 1 for the veteran crisis line.

“So if you call 9- 8-8 and are in fact in the middle of a crisis with yourself or with a loved one, they can dispatch someone to come to the location that you are at and assist you,” she said. “We also are working to fund walk-in centers. So individuals can actually have a place to go if they are experiencing a crisis other than the emergency department.“

Michael Leister, deputy director of the office of justice programs at PCCD, said it’s important that those who respond to veterans in crisis are trained to treat them with compassion.

The Pennsylvania Crisis Intervention Team Training and Technical Assistance Center (CIT TAC) launched in 2025 to assist local agencies to build a strong crisis response system.

“And we know, especially for veterans, getting into care immediately really helps reduce that risk for suicide,” Leister said.

A representative from the Pa. Department of Health and the National Guard also participated. All agencies noted the importance of helping a veteran feel connected.

“People who are struggling with their mental health, more than anything, the struggle is for connection to the world, connection to humanity,” Tanner said. “I think each of us has the potential to be that individual for someone who’s struggling and to make sure that we’re cultivating and practicing humility, curiosity, and active listening.”