United States Veterans are at a 72% higher risk of suicide than their peers who haven’t served. The mission of Stop Soldier Suicide (SSS) is to reduce the military suicide rate by 40% no later than 2030. QTS is proud to partner with organizations who support our veterans and recently sat down with Stop Soldier Suicide to learn more about their mission and how you can get involved.
1. Tell us about the mission and vision of your organization.
Our vision is a nation where service members & veterans have no greater risk for suicide than any other American. Our work reduces service member and veteran suicide by using enhanced data insights, focused client acquisition, and suicide-specific intervention services to fulfill our mission.
2. What inspired the creation of your nonprofit organization, and how has it evolved since then?
After losing friends and fellow service members to suicide, Army veterans, Brian Kinsella, Nick Black, and Craig Gridelli were determined to create a solution for their fellow veterans who were struggling. For them, military suicide isn’t just a problem. It’s personal.
It was clear that something had to be done – proactively – to get their brothers and sisters in arms the help they needed and reduce the number of service members and veterans lost to suicide.
What began as the three founders answering a hotline in an apartment grew to a small staff of volunteers, and today, with research from top suicidologists and a staff of licensed clinicians provide care to veterans and service members across the country.
3. How does your organization collaborate with the local community to achieve its goals?
In suicide prevention, everyone has a role to play. We invite all members of our community to join us as we fight to stem the tide of military suicide–for the veterans and service members who deserve a brighter future, and for a nation that owes them nothing less. Community members have the opportunity to join our virtual challenges on Facebook or join the fight with our monthly giving program. We also work closely with local communities and veterans and military service organizations to refer to resources and provide care.
Organizations can hold fundraising events. QTS, for example, sponsored its first golf tournament in Georgia last year, which was the largest grossing fundraising event in Stop Soldier Suicide history. Every partnership helps in our fight to save the lives of more veterans.
4. What are some ongoing challenges your organization faces, and how do you address them?
The challenges facing veterans and service members who are experiencing suicidal thoughts are systemic. Combatting the stigma of suicide and mental health, especially in the veteran and service member community, is an ongoing challenge. Additionally, we see clients who have doors slammed in their face because they were dishonorably discharged, or they are in an underrepresented community, or follow a certain religious practice.
That is not the case at Stop Soldier Suicide with our ROGER wellness service. No stigma. No judgment. That’s the deal. Whether you served one day, 20+ years, or anywhere in between, ROGER is here for you. We want to put you in control so that you can be the ongoing driving force in your own safety and well-being.
5. As a proud partner, QTS is always excited to support your mission with our time, talent, and treasure. Can you describe any upcoming events or programs where community members can get involved in or support your organization’s work?
We would be honored for any members of the QTS team to support our mission during the annual Golf Tournament on October 28th in Atlanta. Numerous volunteer opportunities will be available during the golf tournament. Additionally, we would like to invite everyone to join us during Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in September for our wellness initiative, Never Walk Alone.
6. Could you share some recent success stories or impactful projects/initiatives your organization has undertaken?
Through the Black Box Project, SSS is working with families of veterans and service members who’ve died by suicide. Families lend the devices their loved ones used (cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.), and Stop Soldier Suicide uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze the digital footprint from devices to better understand the causes and behaviors leading up to suicide, identify patterns, warning signs and red flags and improve our suicide intervention practices and strategies.
In February 2023, SSS was named a first-place winner in the Mission Daybreak grand challenge by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs designed to develop and accelerate new Veteran suicide prevention solutions. With more than 1,300 submissions, SSS was one of just two first-place winners overall for Black Box Project.
7. What does the future look like for your organization?
We need to work hard and fast, together, to solve this problem once and for all. Stop Soldier Suicide programs include evidence-based therapies and suicide-specific interventions for the most at-risk veterans and service members, as well as research and suicide intelligence, firearm safety, and more. As we gain new insights from our research and from partners in the field, our programs and approaches continue to evolve to meet the needs of those we serve. We know that, together, we can create a new future where veterans and service members are at no greater risk for suicide than the civilian population.
