VA today announced the 10 winners of Mission Daybreak, a $20 million grand challenge to reduce Veteran suicide. Mission Daybreak is part of VA’s 10-year strategy to end Veteran suicide through a comprehensive, public health approach.
VA launched the multiphase challenge in May 2022, receiving more than 1,300 concept submissions in Phase 1 from Veterans, Veteran Service Organizations, community-based organizations, health tech companies, startups and universities.
“Our Veterans need and deserve suicide prevention solutions that meet them where they are, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s exactly what Mission Daybreak has delivered,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D. “By drawing on a range of focus areas and life experiences, the Mission Daybreak winners have developed innovations that will save Veterans lives—and there’s nothing more important than that.”
Winners awarded for their innovative suicide prevention solutions
The multidisciplinary judging panel—representing a diversity of perspectives, from Veterans and clinicians to social workers and technical experts—evaluated submissions from the 30 finalists in Phase 2. The panel recommended the 10 winners based on the official evaluation criteria.
The two first-place winners will each receive $3 million:
- Stop Soldier Suicide’s “Black Box Project” is a technology solution that identifies and analyzes data from digital devices of Veterans who died by suicide to develop machine learning models that can identify never-before-known risk patterns. Paired with evidence-based, suicide-specific intervention services, the Black Box Project will accelerate precision methodologies in suicide prevention for the Veteran community.
- Televeda’s “Project Hózhó” is the first mental health app and comprehensive operational plan for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations. Televeda designed the tool in partnership with AIAN and Veteran communities for Navajo Veterans with plans to adapt and expand for use with other tribes. The solution incorporates traditional healing practices like storytelling and talking-circle interventions to reduce Veteran suicide and improve access to VA resources.
The three second-place winners will each receive $1 million:
- ReflexAI is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool that can help the Veterans Crisis Line train and maintain a team of responders that can meet the needs of every Veteran who reaches out. The tool utilizes a three-pronged approach of simulation, feedback, and quality assurance, which is nationally recognized as an innovative and responsible use of AI in crisis services.
- Sentinel is a mobile app designed to reduce Veteran suicide by encouraging safe storage of firearms. The application integrates smart firearm and medication locking devices with a Veteran-specific learning and community support network that facilitates strong connections with other Veterans, family and friends.
- Battle Buddy is a virtual human-led mental health and wellness application that promotes resiliency among Veterans at risk for suicide. The application’s interactive, conversational AI utilizes content from VA’s Suicide Safety Planning program during brief daily check-ins with Veterans. The mobile application will also connect with wearable sensors to leverage sleep, exercise, and other health signals. Battle Buddy is a partnership between the USC Institute for Creative Technologies and the SoldierStrong Foundation.
The five third-place winners will each receive $500,000:
- Even Health’s “Cabana®” is a virtual reality-based group support platform for Veterans who have survived a suicide attempt. The solution adapts an established support group model shown to reduce suicide and associated factors as well as increase resilience and a sense of belonging.
- NeuroFlow is a two-sided technology platform that offers Veterans tailored resources and digital care 24/7 while measuring their evolving behavioral health needs to inform care teams of potential crises before they happen. Providing virtual and in-person support for Veterans who would typically fall through the cracks, NeuroFlow assesses and triages Veterans and caregivers to get them to the right level of behavioral health care and community services based on their available benefits, geography and clinical presentation.
- Overwatch Project is a peer-based intervention program that empowers Veterans to intervene with at-risk buddies, offering to temporarily hold onto their guns or take protective storage measures before it is too late. This comprehensive program includes training, community engagement and communications initiatives crafted in a direct, authentic Veteran voice. The Overwatch Project, an initiative of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit FORGE, aims to transform the conversation about firearms and suicide prevention through an approach modeled after the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign.
- OxfordVR’s “gameChange,” a digital therapeutic with the Food and Drug Administration’s Breakthrough Device designation, treats severe social isolation, which is a precursor to suicidal thoughts and behavior, and is common to PTSD, psychosis and severe depression. Through virtual reality, gameChange offers an immersive and scalable opportunity to treat Veterans where they are before a crisis moment.
- Team Guidehouse’s data platform integrates social determinants of health and social media data into the health record and an external dashboard to identify Veterans at risk in real time; it also provides actionable insights for suicide prevention. Team Guidehouse is a partnership between Red Hat and Philip Held, Ph.D., Rush University Medical Center.
Following Mission Daybreak, VA may engage with select solutions through contracts, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), or other partnership vehicles.
Using open innovation to foster solutions capable of preventing suicide on a large scale
Open innovation challenges like Mission Daybreak can accelerate the development of solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. By providing no-strings-attached financial and non-financial incentives, facilitating partnerships and mentorship, and even helping to secure commercial commitments, open innovation can shepherd and speed novel ideas to become viable prototypes. The finalists participated in a virtual accelerator program designed to help them develop ambitious but achievable roadmaps for prototyping, iteration, testing and evaluation.
To learn more, visit missiondaybreak.net.
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Although the people checking boxes try to make themselves look good (and convince others they are “doing good”) they do not understand the concept of meeting potential suicides “where they are,” as they claim. The genuine anger and frustration in your post, Brandon, is what these people don’t get. If they can’t respond with compassion and real knowledge to a Marine who is 100% disabled, they can’t do the job of helping combat induced suicides. Truly meeting people “where they are”who are suffering so much they no longer want to live requires not only compassion but specific skills. AI, locking away weapons, (what military person would stand for that, and they will be more motivated to find another way) won’t do it. Deep suffering requires action that is both HUMAN and HUMANE. We have lost/forgotten what that is. If we REALLY want to help, we must first re-claim genuine compassion, the patience to listen and discover where the person in crisis is and how s/he will allow help to flow in.
This is so horribly typical of VA “breakthrough” programs for addressing Veteran suicides—the total investment of $20 million spread over 10 years and distributed to 10 winners indicates how unimportant the issue really is to the VA—$2 million a year works out to less than $220 per dead Veteran who commits suicide (based on the current rate of about 25 Veterans per day who commit suicide)—the administration costs will consume all of that, just to write the required reports.
The program winners are also typical of the VA’s absurd “grand challenge/silver bullet” approach — every winner is based on technology, like VR, virtual counseling, data tracking, apps, etc. They make no mention of treatment options like HBOT, or early preventative measures, like treating concussive injuries to minimize brain damage, etc.
To promote and publicize this program as major progress in Veteran suicide prevention is analogous to Russia and Putin announcing their war in Ukraine is going “according to plan”—it’s total nonsense—propaganda and useless bureaucratic mind candy distributed by the VA. Lip service would be a big improvement.
If there was a lot more money involved, and greedy people/companies benefiting financially, it would be easier to understand/accept—but this is far worse than greed and corruption; much worse than ignorance or naïveté; this is a deliberate, organized trivialization of a worsening (decades-long) cause of death that takes the lives of over 9,000 Veterans a year. That’s more than 9,000 deaths a year that won’t be lessened by checking the boxes in a “grand challenge” competition, which makes it sound like a game show!
Other than the above, it sounds like a fine program—now I have to go wash my hands for typing that.
Well said Mr Crafts. I am glad to see a sound voice among the VA’s rhetoric! I usually read things like this and feel like I am the only Veteran paying attention to the money dump feel good programs that are actually unavailable. Especially to a working Veteran! I always say I need to be living on a park bench outside of the VA hospital to make their available help accessible from 9am-4pm weekdays! Somedays a person just needs a solid place to vent the past horrific events! The VA Crisis line is not that place!
I personally have been dropped from calls and texts for using foul language! I suppose I am required in time of crisis to act professionally right up to my death!
Grief on our scale as Veteran’s is always overrun by the other side’s feelings. Then it becomes me vs their feelings! Anyhoot! I appreciate your perspective and wanted to thank you for having the courage to say on a grand scale of what I hope is highly read!
Didn’t know anything about this as I’ve been working on bringing to ruaL CENTRAL KENTUCKY. This Organization Is Called Operation Charlie Bravo Formally Known As Operation Combat Bikesaver. We Are Doing This In Order To Bring Us A Facility Here To Stanford Kentucky, With Our Towns Mayor Behind It Plus We Have Support From Sponsors Who Wish To Help Us Make It Possible.
I’ve Worked On This For 2 & A Half Years And As A 100% Disabled Veteran Its So Hard To Get Anything Done. Especially When I Can’t Drive Or Get Other Veterans Who Start To Help But Then Quit On Me. I Guess They Dont Have As Much Time As I Have To Offer Towards Making A Difference With Me Being 100%. GIVES ME THE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM AT HAND TO WHERE THEY CANT AS THEY HAVE JOBS TO GO TO.
SO PLEASE HELP ME AS I HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN AFFECTED BY LOSING FRIENDS TO SUICIDE WHO WERE VETERANS.
My Name Is Lcpl. Brandon Rice USMC RETIRED Aka Boe’s Lukin Duke of
MR ORIGINAL CONCEPT GARAGE YouTube Channel Please Help Me
Create #ActionOverAwareness
Is What It Takes To Save Lives.
How many of these million-dollar winners are owned by veterans? How will these projects be implemented and when? Wow, great job!!
Virtual programs and phone apps etc are pretty good ideas with today technology. Do you think that a military person that is really thinking about suicide is going to open an app or go to a virtual program? Good chance they won’t tell their best friend! Why? You are “programmed” to be the best. Once you start going on sick call or admitting you have a problem, that automatically puts a stigma on you. The chain of command, peers, etc. start treating you different. Once you feel like there’s truly no hope, I do not feel these technical things will help. They need to know there is hope, they’re not treated differently. This should be started at their lowest chain of command and it is not!!
The VA is responsible for an untold number of suicides. The campaign to reduce usage of painkillers has caused significant increase since no viable alternative has been presented. I remember my provider telling me as I walked into the office that my pain. Medication would be cut in half! No discussion no alternatives. Don’t the providers have to take the Hippocratic oath? Or did they forget it?
I Know Exactly What Your Going Through My Brother As I Might Be Young At 37 Years Old My Pain Is SO Bad That Alot Of Times I Wish I Did Not Exist Which Is A Terrible Thing To Say About Myself. I Was Hurt Really Bad In Service To Which I Have Been Lied To By My Own VA Doctors When I First Came Into VA Healthcare Over a Decade Ago. My Doctors Since Then Have Been Completely Better To Me Than The Ones I Started Out With As I Quit Going To VA When I Saw What My Main Doc Had Written About Me. He Set Me Up As Someone Who Only Wanted Painkillers Even Though I Was Prescribed The Very Medication While In Service. It Broke Me Reading The Words Saying I Was Lying About My Pain Which Funny Enough He Said The Same Thing About A Veteran He Caued To Go Paralyzed From Waist Down Only Getting Forced To Retire Not Fired After He Caused One Veteran To Die While Under His Care. I Couldn’t Believe It When I Was Treated Like I Was A Bother To See As The Guy In Charge Of My Care Told Me He Had A Torn Mesicus In His Knee And He Can Play Racket Ball. Bullsht I Said To Him As I Needed Surgery As I Said Look At You Doc You Ain’t Never Played A Day of Racket Ball In Your Life So Please Do Your Job Your Being Paid To Do. This Ain’t About You As If You Need Help Then Seek It, Don’t Tell Me I Have To Suffer Because Your To Cheap To Seek Help For Yourself. Can You Believe The Guy As I Had A Major Knee Injury Before Joining I’d Gotten A Waiver After My Surgery Before Joining. So this was very bad to let go on as now I have trouble standing on my right leg for long at all.
Sorry for what your going through I’ll pray for you as it’s all I know to do for even myself brother.
Congratulations to all the winners! The pathways that are opened up by this research will certainly provide future impact in better understanding suicide prevention.
Wonderful performance for Televeda in their unique method of combining cultural activities with social selection. I wish Televeda all the best over the next 10 years to go from success to success.