Fulfilling these three goals involves modifing and enlarging the current CAF-VAC research methodology. It should first compile datasets from sources other than the Defence Department pay system (VanTil et. al, 2021). Partnerships with Veteran NGOs, clinics and private/public mental health researchers are helpful, as shown by the comprehensiveness of the data-collection methods used by the US Veterans’ Affairs Department (USVA) (US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 2023). More work is also needed in the current Canadian death certificate-analysis model to match the data between the veterans, cause of death, and location of residence.

Since this model is similar to that of the USVA, the CAF-VAC researchers will need to incorporate the study of location in their data, as done by Mahar et. al (2019) in their study of veteran suicides in Ontario. Enlargement of data-collection methodologies is also critical for studying the socio-economic variables behind veterans’ suicide. Relying on the administrative pay system alone has its advantage of simplicity but does not have any relevance to the individual characteristics of the veterans themselves such as ethnicity, socio-economic status, and post-service employment, which are all drivers of suicidal ideation (Jalles & Andresen, 2015). Statistics Canada should play a central role in coordinating these research efforts with an expanded partner base, particularly with those in healthcare and the private sector.

Lastly, research funds also needs to be allocated to bridging the gap between research on service members’ and veterans’ suicides. Greater cooperation between the CAF and the VAC is important to achieve this goal, as the former’s research on deployment-related trauma and personal circumstances of service members involved in suicides (Berthiaume, 2019) can complement the VAC’s on-going studies of veterans.

The key aspects in resolving this issue are:

• Creating a joint central data repository on veterans’ suicide (Rudnick et al, 2022).

• Establishing a mechanism for sharing information between the two institutions (Rudnick et al., 2022).

Making these changes will help these organizations agree on standardized research methods and data-presentation. It will also help them solidify guidelines, making research cooperation easier. Furthermore, creating a joint website on veterans’ suicide prevention to replace the different CAF and VAC websites may be helpful in centralizing research data and increasing its accessibility. This centralization process will be particularly important once research collaboration takes place with organizations outside of the public sector.

Figure 2: Comparison charts of current VAC-CAF research and data-sharing mechanisms, and mechanisms recommended in this policy brief.

Once relevant data is obtained, the publication team should follow USVA’s annual reports template. Following this template will allow them to create better trend-based graphics, assess the effectiveness of on-going policies, and help inform successful action in the future. The VAC’s reporting should also incorporate a progress review of its policies, reducing the disconnect between objective research and policymaking and increasing the accessibility of information on veterans’ well-being. Such a review could also put pressure on VAC policymakers to be more accountable and transparent.

The first potential hurdle in pursuing this policy is the need to balance data-collection and concerns for privacy, particularly when non-government organizations are involved. The VAC’s current challenges suggest a careful handling of this legal and moral obstacle (Brewster, 2024). Skepticism on how data collected by different agencies is used is particularly strong among Canadian senior citizens, a demographic which is heavily populated by veterans (Cooper et al., 2017; Government of Canada, 2024). However, this suspicion is primarily rooted in financial mistrust and there is a generally positive view towards data-collection that aims to help vulnerable demographics (Cooper et al., 2017). Therefore, transparent guidelines and an emphasis on veteran support may help mitigate this challenge (Cooper et al., 2017). There is also the threat of research overlap causing confusion between public research bodies with non-government researchers. Avoiding this threat involves sequencing data coordination only after an establishment of a central data repository. Finally, increased research coordination may counter budget-downsizing initiatives that are at the core of the VAC’s yearly plans (Government of Canada, 2024). Outsourcing research funding to outside organizations is key to easing this challenge.

Compiling such a large amount of data will also pose challenges to existing protocol, particularly when it comes to segregating national data into regional categories with new socio-economic sub-categories. The USVA’s Assessing Social and Community Environments with National Data (ASCEND) research program took two years to complete (US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 2023). Since the proposed Canadian study is similar in scope, involving many government and private partners, it will likely be difficult for the VAC to report annually on the issue. This is especially true since the Canadian study plans to diversify from its traditional data source: the military pay system.

The next steps: Plans for incorporating coordinated research into veteran suicide prevention strategies

Once a coordinated research apparatus is in place, the larger data sets obtained can be used to improve pre-existing veteran suicide prevention strategies. Location-based documentation may aid the coordination of veteran suicide prevention between the federal government and different local authorities, with the VAC and CAF playing a role in synchronizing and monitoring the process.

Given their proximity to grassroots veteran communities, municipal governments may be able to use this enlarged data to design strategies that increase accessibility to suicide prevention resources. They can do so by taking a “no wrong-doors” approach and complementing the services of the VAC-CAF strategy. For example, they could establish grassroots community wellness centers or municipal suicide-prevention taskforces. Likewise, they could offer veterans financial assistance and emulate the VAC’s services on a local, community level.

Provincial governments can also play a larger role in veteran suicide prevention, both by creating policies and supporting research. They can work alongside municipal actors to bring veteran suicide prevention services closer to veteran communities. They can also help the VAC’s location-based data collection within their provinces. The US Mayors’ and Governors’ Challenge to prevent veteran suicide may be a good example of a decentralized approach to the issue (SAMHSA, 2024).

For the VAC-CAF policymakers, better-coordinated research may open the doors to a bottom-up approach in veteran suicide prevention. One potential project might involve establishing peer-to-peer support systems between veterans and service members. While the VAC already has a similar pilot program focused on personalized services through the Veteran Service Assistants (a VAC staff member) (VAC, 2024), this recommendation suggests building stronger veteran communities. The goal is to expand these communities while integrating support and specialized care between veterans within said communities.

This recommendation will help to resolve the common issue of veterans having limited senses of community belonging and group identity (Thompson et al., 2019; Veterans Affairs Canada, 2024). It aims to do so while ensuring that necessary support services (usually provided at VAC institutions) come from more accessible sources who possess shared experiences and values related to military service and transition (Beehler et al., 2021). Such an initiative may also aid with employment opportunities for veterans.

Importantly, increased research coordination is beneficial. Data on the social determinants of suicide is necessary to gauge where the focus of the programs should be – particularly in rural areas where formal services are limited. Moreover, research on interconnected causes of suicidality shared between service members and veterans could prove useful in creating a trusting environment and in ensuring that proper support is provided (Beehler et al., 2021).

The role of VAC-CAF policymakers should be to ensure peer support providers are properly trained. Peer support providers must create clear boundaries between themselves and their peers, provide administrative oversight, and allocate necessary resources. These elements are crucial in building effective peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs (Beehler et al., 2021).

Additionally, the VAC’s Service Delivery branch must be well coordinated to address the main challenge of this peer support model: the emotional and physical burden on both the peer specialists and the veterans involved from having to discuss suicide in non-clinical settings (Huisman & van Bergen, 2019). Similar programs that were trialed in rural areas within the US had positive reactions from the veterans involved (Beehler et al., 2021; Pfeiffer et al., 2019). As a result of this study, the researchers observed a viability of the methods in preventing veterans’ suicide (Beehler et al., 2021; Pfeiffer et al., 2019). Such programs will also help the VAC meet its current budget-downsizing goals by delegating services to programs that only require indirect involvement (Government of Canada, 2024).

Figure 3: Percentage of veteran staff compared with non-veteran staff in the VAC’s workforce (Government of Canada, 2024).[1]

Conclusion

Veterans’ suicide remains an unresolved issue that continues to affect the integrity of the CAF and the VAC. The limitations of current policies are a result of a lack of coordinated research between the two institutions, causing a general scarcity of data and a disconnected study of the reasons behind service members’ and veterans’ suicides. To this end, this paper suggests that better-coordinated research by CAF-VAC researchers will improve future strategies on preventing veteran suicide.

[1] 175 compared to approx. 3800