VA’s Assessment Tool Helps Veterans and Military Members Recognize Personal Crisis

WASHINGTON (March 14, 2025) — It can be common for some Veterans and military members to put others first as part of their service training and experience. It can also affect their awareness they may be avoiding their own needs and could be approaching a potential crisis.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) emphasizes that it’s important for Veterans and military members to periodically ‘check in’ with themselves to recognize emotional factors that may affect their mental health.

VA and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention created a Veterans Self-Check Quiz to help recognize signs of stress and depression that can lead to personal crisis.

It’s a free, confidential tool that Veterans, Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve and family members can use to assess potential crisis and reach out for immediate support.

According to VA, the tool presents a series of personal questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. It then provides an assessment and the option to anonymously submit it for review and written response by a Veteran Crisis Line representative.

Quiz participants aren’t required to read responses or use the resources, VA notes. Participants that do want to reach a trained responder can access the Veterans Crisis Line online chat for immediate support.

Participants who don’t prefer online chat can also reach the Veterans Crisis Line via phone (Dial 988 then Press 1) or text (838255) for immediate support.

Learn more about VA’s Self-Check Assessment Quiz in this new VA News item.