2022 Impact Report

In 2022, we went upstream.

Upstream Quote


We continued to deliver our lifesaving services in 2022, yet we had a parallel focus on taking a bold step forward in the arena of suicide intelligence. This is what we call getting upstream.

We set out to utilize what we’ve learned from caring for our current and former clients, as well as never-before-known insights from Black Box Project about veterans who have died by suicide, to redefine the way we understand and act upon suicide risk.

In 2022, we saved more lives than any other year while continuing to advance forward.

Read The Report

Our Model

Our suicide-specific program model was built in consultation with several of the nation’s leading suicidologists. Innovative methodologies such as CASE and CAMS headline the best-in-class care we deliver at no cost to American veterans and service members.

Our promises:
- 24/7 access with long-term support
- Services for all
- Tactical support, the way it should be
- Suicide-specific care that's never stagnant
- Cost-free

In 2022, nearly 80% of our clients rated our services mostly or entirely helpful.

1400+ Clients Served in 2022
17,500+ Hours of Care Provided in 2022
78% of Clients Reported The Ability To Manage Their Thoughts Related To Suicide

2022 Impact At A Glance

Our Innovation

Black Box Project

Black Box Project is redefining the way we understand suicide risk.

Since launching Black Box Project, a total of 56 families have entrusted us with a total of 106 devices. We extend our deepest gratitude to each of those families for their trust in us, and for their commitment to this life-saving project.

Black Box Project leverages artificial intelligence from these donated devices to help produce never-beforeknown
insights that inform risk-level assessment based on digital behaviors. This allows us to reimagine methods of outreach and care that will advance the field of suicide prevention as a whole.

In 2022, Black Box Project gained national headlines when they were featured on NBC Nightly News. In the piece, Sarah Smith discussed her decision to contribute to Black Box Project and her desire to, in her words, make sure her husband James’ death “wasn’t in vain.”

Awards We Received

Mission Daybreak was a $20 million grand challenge to reduce Veteran suicides. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs called on innovators to develop suicide prevention solutions that meet the diverse needs of Veterans.

In late 2022, Stop Soldier Suicide was named a first-place winner in the Mission Daybreak grand challenge by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

1,371 Mission Daybreak Submissions
30 Mission Daybreak Finalists
10 Mission Daybreak Winners
2 Mission Daybreak First-Place Winners
$3 Million Mission Daybreak award to advance Black Box Project

Impact on Our Clients

Through personalized care, our clients get the life-saving care they need. In 2022, we saw a 23% year-over-year increase in clients acquired.

In 2022, our clients experienced significant improvement in suicide-related risk factors:
49% decreased in psychological pain
49% decreased in stress
48% decreased in agitation
47% decreased in hopelessness
41% decreased in self-hate

Clients have consistent, 1-on-1 interactions with their Wellness Coordinator, enabling us to build trust and rapport while working to uncover the root causes of suicidality. This 1-on-1 support allows us to be tactical in our approach to addressing their suicidality. Each client's treatment plan is as unique as their individual circumstances.

Over 1,400+ clients received over 17,500+ hours of personalized care. This support is designed for the long term as we build systems that support them as they transition out of our care.

Looking to the Future

As we continue to redefine how suicide risk is understood and acted upon, others can use those insights to save lives, too.

We welcome and encourage others in the field to take this bold step with us. Whether it’s through delivery of care, fueling the mission financially, or lending impactful tools and skills to the fight, it’s going to take all of us to truly get upstream.

The faster we can all get there - with attributable, measurable, and actionable results - the fewer American veterans and service members we’ll need to pull out of the river of despair in the future.

Real Clients

When our nation called, they answered.
These heroes deserve not just our respect, but our support.

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Real Clients.
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Real Clients.
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From corporations to foundations to everyday Americans who are committed to the fight, our impact is driven by a powerful community of supporters.

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We’re grateful for the more than 450 corporate partners who joined us in 2022 and helped raise more than $3MM for our life-saving mission.

Our corporate partners hosted webinars for their employees about veteran mental health and suicide prevention, led employee giving and corporate match campaigns, advised on our grant applications, created retail campaigns that mobilized their customers to support us, and supported our mission through personal gifts.

SSS Corporate AAP Foundation

Corporate Partners

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As a digital-first organization, virtual challenges have become an integral way in which supporters accelerate Stop Soldier Suicide’s impact.

In 2022, we welcomed USAA as the presenting sponsor for our virtual challenges — helping us reach and engage with thousands of people across the country to rally support around our life-saving mission.

Nicky Kutsor

Virtual Challenges

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Chris Putrich is a suicide attempt survivor who runs with a purpose.

For the past two years, Chris has pushed himself physically and mentally in the 100-mile ultramarathon Run Rabbit Run, raising more than $16,000 for Stop Soldier Suicide along the way.

SSS Individual Donor

Individual Donors

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When Danielle Polite joined our monthly giving program The Battalion, it was just one more step on her journey of selfless service and desire to make a positive impact in the military community.

Danielle served 14 years in the US Army and understands first-hand the toll PTSD can have on service members. During her time in service, Danielle volunteered to become an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) instructor and witnessed the need for better mental health and wellness care across the force.

Like us, this fight is personal for Danielle. The Battalion is a place where she can continue on her own healing journey while helping others do the same — an opportunity to sustain Stop Soldier Suicide’s mission one monthly gift at a time.

SSS Battalion Danielle Polite

The Battalion