WASHINGTON – The numbers are staggering: Members of the Army committed six suicides a week last year.
Now, the Army is looking into ways it can predict – and prevent – suicide. A computer cod, developed by the National Institute of Mental Health with Harvard University and several other universities is designed to identify soldiers at risk of attempting suicide, .
Researchers have applied risk factors such as psychiatric problems or deployment history records to a computer assessment of soldiers – producing a rating that flags an at-risk solider for specialized care.
The Army says it’s cautiously optimistic about the project, USA Today reports.
Army leaders say they are worried the program could replace a commander’s ideas about how to help soldiers with a computer’s logic. Other advocates say the project could unfairly target and stigmatize soldiers.
ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµapp’s Veronica Robinson contributed to this report. Follow on Twitter.