This spring, Mission Daybreak invited the grand challenge awardees to join the 2024 Innovator Series. The Innovator Series is accelerating the development of solutions toward VA readiness by providing the cohort access to toolkits, expert interviews, and live events on VA integration.
The Innovator Series kicked off in May with a live discussion featuring VA’s Dr. Todd Burnett, Dr. Amanda Lienau, and Theresa Patton on the future of Mission Daybreak and the impact these innovative solutions will have for Veterans. Participants then had the opportunity to ask questions and network with other teams.
“We are constantly scanning the horizon for innovative ideas and solutions to help navigate barriers and connect Veterans and their support networks to the needs they have, when they have them, and however they need to receive those supports. Mission Daybreak is about saving lives, legacies, and communities.”
— Dr. Todd Burnett, Senior Consultant for Operations, Office of Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration
Cohort meets with VHA’s Innovation Ecosystem and external partners
Through September, the grand challenge awardees will progress through three modules, each featuring a live event and technical assistance. June’s Module 1 featured a roundtable discussion on different pathways for VA integration and what partners seek. Panelists represented the following range of programs and organizations:
- VA Pathfinder
- The Greenhouse Initiative
- Innovation Ecosystem Collaborations
- National Association of Veterans’ Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF)
- Face the Fight
Looking ahead: Centering development around Veterans
Over the summer, the cohort will have an opportunity to hear from subject matter experts on piloting with and centering storytelling around Veterans. Live events and toolkits will cover how to pressure-test ideas, present data in a compelling way, and effectively reach out to Veterans, caregivers, and funders.
Teams announce new partnerships, receive awards
By bringing fresh thinking, outside perspectives, and innovative concepts to suicide prevention, Mission Daybreak grand challenge awardees are serving those who have served and providing meaningful support. From lethal means safety and community-based strategies to predictive analytics and virtual therapeutics, the cohort’s solutions represent a broad spectrum of focus areas, and reflecting the goals of the National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide.
As teams continue to develop their solutions, we are thrilled to share their progress. Televeda recently partnered with the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration—offering in-person and virtual peer-support groups to Navajo Veterans—while Early Alert teamed up with VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System to pilot its text messaging wellness check-in. NeuroFlow has acquired Owl, a measurement-based care technology company, to expand its platform’s capabilities in assessing behavioral health risk.
At the VA Immersive Summit, VHA’s Dr. Amanda Lienau spoke with Cabana’s Nick Armstrong, ReflexAI’s Samuel Dorison, and Battle Buddy’s Sharon Mozgai on the potential for immersive technology in suicide prevention. Meanwhile, Fast Company named ReflexAI a winner in its 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards, spotlighting the team’s AI-powered HomeTeam software that teaches Veterans how to support one another through mental health crises.
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As Mission Daybreak drives forward, we are excited to share news and opportunities to engage with the teams. Sign up for the newsletter to receive the latest stories on Mission Daybreak’s progress.