Assessing Social and Community Environments with National Data (ASCEND) for Veteran Suicide Prevention is a research study designed, with Veteran input, to learn about:

• How many Veterans experience or do not experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• What experiences and life circumstances increase or decrease Veterans risk for suicidal thinking and behavior
• How to improve suicide prevention programs for Veterans, both in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and in the communities where Veterans live

To learn more about how we obtain and apply Veteran input for ASCEND, please visit our website:
https://www.mirecc.va.gov/ascend/.

• We have randomly selected Veterans to participate in this study.
• Veterans selected to participate reflect the diversity of all Veterans.
• ASCEND surveys a new randomly selected group of Veterans every two years.
• If you received an invitation, we want to hear from you - it is okay if you completed the survey in a prior year.
• ASCEND is designed to understand the experiences and perspectives of Veterans from all backgrounds.
• We need to hear from Veterans in every part of the U.S. and from all age groups, races/ethnicities, genders, and service eras. We are interested in hearing from Veterans regardless of their discharge type, eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services or benefits, or use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services.
• We want to learn from Veterans with or without suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

The VA Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Suicide Prevention (https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/) has contracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, a non-profit research institution, to conduct this survey. This study is funded by the VA Office of Suicide Prevention. For more information about NORC at the University of Chicago, visit www.norc.org.

All information obtained from ASCEND will be protected and kept confidential. Information will be summarized across participants and will not be used to identify any individual Veteran. Survey responses will be used for research purposes only and will never be connected to VA records or impact your health care or eligibility for any community or VA services. Data from ASCEND will NOT be included in your medical records.

By taking this survey, you will help VA improve existing and create new programs to save Veterans’ lives. Your response will help ensure that all Veterans have access to effective suicide prevention programs.

You can access the ASCEND survey by going to: https://ASCEND.norc.org/. To enter the survey, you will need your PIN, which is on the front side of this letter. If you need help accessing the survey or want to complete the survey over the telephone, please call 866-999-3340.

Please call 866-999-3340 or email ASCEND@norc.org. You can also visit the study website: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/ascend/.