AI Training Tools Expand to Help Clinicians Practice Critical Suicide Prevention Conversations

Mental health clinicians treating veterans and military personnel will soon have access to expanded AI-powered training tools designed to strengthen their skills in two of the most difficult aspects of suicide prevention: firearm safety conversations and crisis response planning. The development, backed by new funding from USAA, the Humana Foundation, and Reach Resilience through the Face the Fight initiative, aims to address a critical gap in mental health care as veteran suicide rates remain stubbornly high.

The funding, approved October 9, supports UT Health San Antonio and Rush University in expanding the STRONG STAR Training Initiative, a national research network dedicated to improving prevention and treatment for psychological health issues affecting military service members, veterans, and first responders. The AI tools allow clinicians to practice sensitive conversations in realistic scenarios anytime, building confidence before engaging with real patients in crisis.

The two new AI training programs target areas where clinician discomfort often prevents life-saving interventions. Firearms are used in roughly 72 percent of veteran suicides and more than half of suicides nationally, making conversations about secure firearm storage critically important yet challenging for many mental health professionals.

The first AI tool will train clinicians to initiate respectful, effective discussions about secure firearm storage with at-risk patients. Many clinicians hesitate to raise this topic, fearing they lack expertise about firearms or worried about alienating patients who view gun ownership as a constitutional right. The AI simulator allows repeated practice navigating these conversations until clinicians feel confident handling various patient responses.

The second tool focuses on crisis response planning, guiding clinicians in developing personalized safety plans with patients to manage overwhelming stress and improve problem-solving skills during acute crises. These plans identify warning signs, coping strategies, and support contacts patients can activate when suicidal thoughts intensify.

The AI-powered training tools simulate realistic patient interactions where clinicians practice therapeutic conversations. Rather than following scripted responses like traditional role-play exercises, the AI generates dynamic patient reactions based on what clinicians say, creating authentic practice experiences.

Early feedback from clinicians testing the existing tools has been overwhelmingly positive, with users reporting that the flexibility to train anytime, across a wide range of scenarios, makes the experience both accessible and realistic.

The training can be accessed remotely on clinicians' schedules, eliminating barriers of coordinating live role-play partners or attending in-person workshops. Clinicians can practice the same difficult conversation repeatedly, trying different approaches until they find language that feels natural and effective. The AI provides immediate feedback, helping clinicians refine their communication techniques.

David Rozek, a researcher involved in developing the tools, emphasized that safety remains paramount. "Strong safety guardrails that are reviewed and updated by clinical experts are built into the programs from the start and continuously refined," he explained. The AI is programmed to recognize potentially harmful approaches and redirect clinicians toward evidence-based practices.

The new tools expand an already successful initiative. The STRONG STAR Training Initiative has trained mental health providers nationwide in evidence-based treatments for PTSD and suicide prevention since 2017. Face the Fight, launched by USAA with an aspirational goal to cut veteran suicide rates in half by 2030, has become a major funder of these training programs.

The initiative provides monthly workshops in crisis response planning at no cost to anyone supporting veterans, including mental health clinicians, peers, volunteers, and veteran-serving organizations. Thousands of clinicians have accessed STRONG STAR's resources, which include both AI-powered simulations and traditional training materials.

The focus on veterans and military personnel addresses a population facing disproportionate suicide risk. Military culture, access to lethal means, exposure to trauma, and transitions between military and civilian life all contribute to elevated suicide rates. Nearly 50 percent of veterans own firearms, making lethal means safety conversations particularly crucial for this population.

While designed for clinicians treating military populations, the skills developed through these AI tools transfer to civilian suicide prevention. "Our military and veteran communities continue to drive important advances in suicide prevention. The progress we make with veterans and military personnel lifts the whole system. Every skill we strengthen, every tool we improve, helps clinicians provide better care to anyone who walks through their door," Rozek noted.

The evidence-informed approach used in these tools follows public health frameworks adopted by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, the White House, and other major suicide prevention initiatives. By focusing on clinician skill-building and lethal means safety—two proven intervention points—the AI training addresses factors shown to reduce suicide attempts and deaths.

The AI training tools also address a persistent workforce challenge: the shortage of mental health providers trained in evidence-based suicide prevention techniques. Traditional training requires significant time and resource commitments, limiting how many clinicians can access high-quality instruction. AI-powered simulations scale this training, allowing unlimited clinicians to practice simultaneously without requiring live instructors for every session.

The flexible, self-paced format accommodates clinicians' busy schedules and varying baseline skill levels. A provider new to veteran mental health can practice extensively before seeing their first at-risk patient, while experienced clinicians can refresh skills or explore scenarios they rarely encounter.

As the AI training tools for firearm safety conversations and crisis response planning launch in coming months, STRONG STAR researchers will evaluate their effectiveness through rigorous studies. They'll measure whether clinicians who complete AI training demonstrate improved skills, increased confidence, and better patient outcomes compared to traditional training methods.

The Face the Fight initiative continues expanding, bringing together businesses and organizations committed to veteran suicide prevention. The combination of AI-powered training, evidence-based interventions, and sustained funding creates infrastructure for meaningful progress toward reducing veteran suicide rates.

For mental health clinicians, these tools represent practical support for some of the most emotionally demanding aspects of their work. By practicing difficult conversations in low-stakes simulated environments, clinicians can build competence and confidence that translates directly to improved care for patients in crisis.