VASPI: Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Innovations

VETERANS AFFAIRS SUICIDE PREVENTION INNOVATIONS (VASPI)

September 9-10, 2016|Washington, DC

Dear Colleague,                                                                                                                                        8/16/16

In 2015 President Obama proclaimed September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. To honor the 1-year anniversary of this event, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration is hosting Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Innovations (VASPI) on September 9th and 10th — a 2-day data-driven, public-private collaborative event. We are inviting you to join a community of experts from industry, academia, and other government agencies to team-up and collaboratively problem-solve Veteran suicide.

The agenda for VASPI is as follows:

Day 1 (September 9 - 1-5pm) will feature high-profile keynotes, lightening talks on suicide prevention and open data, and “roll-up your sleeves” working sessions.

Day 2 (September 10 - 9-5pm) will continue working sessions and conclude with team presentations to a panel of distinguished judges.

The themes for VASPI include: 

        1) Improving VA predictive analytic methods for identifying suicide risk   

        2) Accessing Veterans at risk for suicide who are not receiving VA care

        3) Enhancing VA resources and interventions for suicide prevention

VASPI follows a series of Veterans Affairs and White House mental health milestones:  

      * White House event, Building Partnerships for Suicide Prevention, September 2015

      * VA Brain Trust Pathways to InnoVAtion, April 2016

      * White House #MentalHealthHackathon series, December 2015

      * Health Datapalooza White House OSTP and VA Center for Innovation (VACI): May 2016

      * Bayes Hack: How can data predict and prevent Veteran suicide?, April 2016

      * VACI and White House OSTP #LymeInnovation hackathon, June 2014

To continue supporting the momentum of these events, the most innovative ideas/solutions from VASPI may be highlighted at the White House Open Data Innovation Summit in late September. 

Please join the Veteran’s Affair in this seminal and exciting event. See you on September 9th!

Sincerely,

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration