Leo Sher, M.D.

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) announced the launch of Mission Daybreak, a $20 million program designed to help the VA develop new suicide prevention strategies (1,2). The aim of the program is to get a lot of new ideas on how to better help and support veterans. As the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system, VA is leveraging knowledge and experience from private-sector, nonprofit, and government collaborators to support this ambitious mission.

The DVA will award cash prizes for the best 40 ideas in coming months. The top 30 ideas will each be awarded $250,000, and 10 others $100,000 each. The top 30 will also be invited to join an eight-week virtual accelerator program to help individuals improve the ideas, with additional cash prizes (including two first-place awards of $3 million) to be given out in the fall 2022.

References

1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Mission Daybreak. URL: https://www.missiondaybreak.net/about-mission-daybreak/
2. Shane L. VA offers $3 million prize for ideas to stop veteran suicides. Military Times, May 25, 2022. URL: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2022/05/25/va-offers-3-million-prize-for-ideas-to-stop-veteran-suicides/