Peer-written caring letters for veterans after a suicidal crisis

Objective In the evidence-based suicide prevention intervention, Caring Letters, healthcare providers send brief, caring messages to patients following psychiatric inpatient care, a time of elevated suicide risk. However, recent studies with military populations have found mixed results. An adaptation of Caring Letters employed a peer framework in which veterans from the community wrote brief caring messages to veterans discharging from psychiatric inpatient treatment after a suicidal crisis. Methods The present study utilized content analysis to assess 90 caring messages generated by 15 peer veterans recruited from veteran service organizations (e.g., American Legion). Results Three themes emerged: (1) Shared Military Service, (2) Care, and (3) Overcoming Adversity. Peer-generated content varied in how the coded themes were expressed in the messages. Conclusion These veteran-to-veteran caring messages may bolster belongingness, social support, and destigmatize mental health struggles, and have the potential to augment existing Caring Letters effects and interventions.