Washington – September 15, 2026 -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Ad Council are rolling out new public service announcements and expanded resources at VA.gov/REACH as part of Buddy Check Week, running Sept. 21-25, 2026, within the ongoing "Don't Wait. Reach Out." campaign.
Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young Veterans.
In 2023, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for Veterans under 45, with 6,398 Veterans losing their lives that year, according to the 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.
Refreshed PSAs target Veterans who question if they deserve support.
The updated "You Are a Veteran" PSAs, developed pro bono by creative agency GSD&M, use Veteran-to-Veteran messaging to reinforce that all Veterans, regardless of when, where or why they served, earned access to care and resources. The ads will run nationwide on donated media placements.
Twitch will host a custom livestream with Veteran gamers.
VA and the Ad Council are partnering with Twitch for a livestream featuring Veteran gamers checking in with one another, encouraging viewers to do the same with Veterans in their own lives.
Heidi Arthur, chief campaign and program officer at the Ad Council, said Buddy Check Week reminds Veterans they don't have to navigate life's challenges alone.
The campaign has driven millions of visits and donated media value.
Since its launch, the campaign has generated more than $150 million in donated media support and driven over 7.5 million visits to VA.gov/REACH. An estimated 3.5 million Veterans in the U.S. who are struggling and aware of the campaign have reached out for help within the past six months.
Buddy Check Week was established through legislation and launched by VA in 2023 as part of the agency's public health approach to suicide prevention.
Veterans in crisis, or those concerned about one, can contact the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 by dialing 988 then pressing 1, chatting online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or texting 838255.