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Milestones

ASCEND Study Banner

Current Project Status


Data collection for the second national wave of ASCEND is complete. We are working to prepare and analyze this data and disseminate findings.

The ASCEND project is ongoing and relies on your participation and input as it plans each step. With your assistance, we will ultimately:

  • Better understand factors that increase both risk and resilience for suicide
  • Improve existing suicide prevention programs
  • Create new, tailored suicide prevention programs for Veterans both in VA health care and in local communities
  • Inform public policy on both community and national levels

ASCEND Study Timeline: The Development Phase initiated in FY19 and consisted of Study Startup and Survey Development (FY19-FY20), a Pilot Study with 567 participants (FY21), National Wave 1 Data Collection with 17,949 participants (FY22), and Wave 1 Analysis and Dissemination. The Surveillance Phase commenced in FY23 and involves biennial data collection, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement. This is the current focus of the study. The Surveillance Phase is planned and funded for National Wave 2 Data Collection (FY24-FY25), Wave 2 Analysis and Dissemination; Wave 3 Preparation (FY25), National Wave 3 Data Collection (FY26), and Wave 3 Analysis and Dissemination. In FY27 we will also link ASCEND data with mortality data.

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Milestone #1

  1. We collected pilot data from 567 Veterans (December 2020 through February 2021).
  2. Findings from this pilot study were used to help us improve our study methods and the survey questions that we used in the first wave of the national survey.

Milestone #2

  1. We collected Wave 1 data from 17,949 Veterans (February through July 2022) - Thank you to all the Veterans who participated!
  2. Analysis and dissemination of findings from Wave 1 are underway, please visit the results tab for details.

Milestone #3

  1. We collected Wave 2 data from over 15,000 Veterans (September 2024 through January 2025) - Thank you to all the Veterans who participated!
  2. Analysis of findings from Wave 2 are underway.

Next Milestones

  1. We will continue the analysis and dissemination of findings from Wave 1 and 2.

COMIRB # 20-0719 / PI: Hoffmire

Last Updated 4 March 2025

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