ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a wall with framed pictures on it

ALT: a cartoon penguin is holding a sign that says you are not alone

Recently psychiatrically hospitalized Veterans are at elevated risk for suicide soon after discharge. Social connectedness is a robust protective factor against suicide; however, many Veterans have limited sources of social support and well-being. Promoting engagement in community activities may help increase social connectedness, but there is limited research on the barriers and facilitators experienced by mental health providers, community organizations, and Veterans’ loved ones to support such efforts. The current study collected qualitative data via interviews with 29 participants from these three groups in different regions of the United States. Interviews focused on participants’ experiences with organizational- and systems-level factors impacting current implementation of strategies for supporting Veteran engagement in community activities. Data were analyzed using templated summarization and matrix analysis. Participants generally valued community engagement for this high-risk population and identified barriers related to mental health challenges and lack of central coordination of activities. Mental health administrators and policy makers invested in increasing social connectedness among high-risk Veteran groups should consider leveraging existing community networks to address identified barriers to community engagement.

ALT: a speech bubble that says " ru ok " and " not really "

Register below for this webinar on the prevalence and causes of chronic pain among neurodivergent youth on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 1pm ET. Sign up and receive the free webinar replay link as well!

NEXT Distro is an online and mail-based harm reduction platform designed to reduce drug overdose death and drug-related health issues in rural and suburban communities across the United States.