As a nimble operation with virtual services, Stop Soldier Suicide can move quickly to provide suicide interventions and enact changes to programming based on research and suicide intelligence.

Did you know — over the past 20 years, military suicide rates were four times higher than deaths that occurred during military operations.

Since September 11, 2001, more than 30,000 active-duty personnel and veterans who served in the military after 9/11 died by suicide — compared to the 7,057 service members killed in combat in the same time period. Suicide is a complex problem that disproportionately impacts the military community, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimating that veterans are at 72% higher risk of suicide than those who have not served.

To address this issue, Stop Soldier Suicide is partnering with HMP Global for the 2024 Day of Giving. Through this campaign, a portion of registrations for HMP Global’s conferences and programs on August 16 will benefit Stop Soldier Suicide, directly supporting the lifesaving work we do to prevent suicide among veterans and service members. 

This partnership is a natural fit between two organizations on a mission to improve outcomes for people in need. HMP Global is the leading omnichannel provider of healthcare events, education, and market insights, reaching nearly 2 million healthcare providers across 600 medical specialties. Stop Soldier Suicide is the only national nonprofit focused solely on solving the issue of suicide among U.S. veterans and service members, with an aggressive goal to reduce the military suicide rate by 40% no later than 2030.

“We believe strongly in the work Stop Soldier Suicide does to support our military members and veterans,” said Jeff Hennessy, Chairman and CEO, HMP Global. “It’s our hope that through Day of Giving we will not only raise needed funds to continue their lifesaving work, but also raise awareness of this issue. 

“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to addressing this critical issue and supporting the brave service members who sacrifice so much for us. Like the promise of Stop Soldier Suicide, we won’t stop until we get this right.”

As a nimble operation with virtual services, Stop Soldier Suicide can move quickly to provide suicide interventions and enact changes to programming based on research and suicide intelligence. We are currently tackling this problem in several ways:

• ROGER: Our ROGER wellness service provides crisis intervention and counseling at no cost to U.S. veterans and service members. The goal is suicide prevention and crisis intervention–and ultimately, helping clients find purpose and lives worth living.
   
• Black Box Project: Similar to the black box used to determine the cause of a plane crash, Black Box Project is Stop Soldier Suicide’s forensic data analysis project 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.
   
• Firearm Safety: Our team is providing resources around firearm safety, to help veterans keep themselves and their families safe. In 2021 (latest data available), 72% of veteran suicides were by firearm.
   
• Clinical Partnerships: Healthcare and VSO collaborations help ensure veterans can obtain suicide-specific care (through third-party referral).
   

Stop Soldier Suicide is doggedly determined to end military suicide. It was co-founded in 2010 by Army veterans Brian Kinsella, Nick Black, and Craig Gridelli. From its humble beginnings as a living room crisis phone line, SSS has grown into an innovative suicide intervention effort, employing more than 80 people across the United States including masters-level clinicians, researchers, technology experts, and more.

Our promise is this: We will not stop until we get this right.

We are grateful to HMP Global for selecting Stop Soldier Suicide to receive a portion of proceeds from event registrations on August 16. Our capable team is working hard and fast – but we need partnerships and support to save lives. We hope you will join us in this fight by being a part of the HMP Global Day of Giving on August 16.

View HMP Global’s portfolio and register for upcoming conferences and events here: hmpglobal.com/our-portfolio.