Agencies
Services
Illinois Veteran Suicide Data
Every number within a suicide data report represents a real person: a father, a sister, a neighbor, a battle buddy. These statistics represent stories of service, struggle, emotional pain, and often silence. Many of our Veterans return home from service only to face a new fight against invisible, emotional wounds. Too often, the struggle they face ends in tragedy for them and their families.
In 2022, 162 Veterans died by suicide in the state of Illinois. This serves as a painful reminder that the effects of serving our country do not end when the uniform comes off. Even though Veterans make up only part of Illinois’s population, their suicide rate is much higher than that of people who have not served in the military.
In Illinois, Veterans between the ages of 35 and 54 are at the highest risk for suicide. This age group has the highest suicide rate among Veterans in the state. Firearms are the most common method, used in about 63% of Veteran suicide deaths in Illinois.
These facts and figures are more than data points. They are a call to action for everyone. They remind us that preventing Veteran suicide is a shared responsibility that must be supported over time by our communities, healthcare systems, and leaders.
The Illinois Violent Death Reporting System
The Illinois Violent Death Reporting System (IVRDS) is a public health program that collects detailed information about violent deaths in the state. This information helps experts see patterns, trends, and risk factors behind these deaths. IVRDS uses infographics to turn the data into visuals that are easy to understand. The goal of collecting this information is to learn why these deaths happen and how they can be prevented.
