KOSU:
Oklahoma had the nation’s third highest rate of veteran suicide deaths in 2023.
The statistic was among several concerning trends raised during an interim study at the State Capitol this week. The meeting focused on whether legislative action is needed to improve access to care for Oklahoma’s more than 270,000 veterans.
Presenters pointed to long wait times for physical and mental healthcare, access to firearms and gaps in veteran-specific services in rural Oklahoma as potential factors in the state’s high veteran suicide rate.