 Keep an eye out, the 2024 VHA State of Innovation (SOI) Report is coming next week!
The VHA State of Innovation Report is an annual publication of VHA IE's parent office, VHA Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL), and shines light on work being done to advance care for Veterans that has been and continues to be supported by the OHIL team.
With the theme of "From Promise to Progress: Evolving Veteran Health Care", this year's report focuses on educating and empowering Veterans to engage with the innovative projects and programs that are most relevant to their health care journeys.
Veterans are encouraged to read the State of Innovation Report and take advantage of the featured services where possible. The full online version will be available here on October 21, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 State of Innovation Report.
Since VHA IE and VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention launched Mission Daybreak, a $20 million initiative focused on developing innovative solutions to prevent Veteran suicide, VA has been working with the winning teams to develop their ideas into actionable solutions. One winner, Televeda, is collaborating with VA to support the development of a web-based suicide prevention solutions to promote connection and community healing for American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) Veterans.
In collaboration with the Navajo Nation, a community event “Rededication Day” was held where Televeda launched the first phase of an in-person and online initiative called Hero’s Story. The event, held in May of this year, featured over 200 AI/AN Veterans, as well as leaders from Televeda, the Navajo Nation Veterans Association, President Buu Nygren and the Navajo Office of the President, and VA.
Hero’s Story is a platform designed to provide a confidential virtual or hybrid space where Veterans can access emotional support that is centered on both traditional Indigenous healing practices and care. This platform encourages engagement through hybrid and virtual live events and cultural storytelling. By offering these opportunities virtually, Televeda helps reach Veterans in remote areas who might otherwise lack access to regular social interaction or mental health services.
To ensure confidentiality and privacy, meetings offered through Hero’s Story allow anonymous entry with limited identifying information or demographics shared. The platform allows for users to list their Indigenous affiliations and background information, designed with culturally-informed details to build trust in both the platform and experience. The user experience was also designed to honor the traditions of in-person talking circles.
“Recognizing their service is of the utmost importance that we create programs and services for Native American Veterans, taking care to address cultural perspectives and preferences,” said Dr. Amanda Lienau, one of the Mission Daybreak leads, at the event. “Equally important is ensuring these programs and services are created in partnership with tribal leaders and Native Veterans, keeping our promise that we will ‘not do anything about you without you.’”
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 The is October 21-25. A national VA campaign, Buddy Check Week encourages Veterans to connect or reconnect with their Veteran friends.
Buddy Check Week’s goal is to enhance peer-to-peer connections, improve mental health, and increase access to VA resources. Veterans and their families are encouraged take the pledge to Talk to 10, Be a Buddy! VA’s Veteran Buddy Checks encourages Veterans to talk to 10 Veteran friends and families–just to check in, connect with peers, and increase access to VA and community resources. Buddy Check Week resources can be found .
across the Nation be operating as Buddy Check Socials that week to facilitate Veterans talking to 10 of their buddies. , the Director of Social Reintegration Research Program at VA Bedford Healthcare System, spearheads Veterans Socials as part of his Entrepreneur in Residence Fellowship with VHA IE. . Anyone interested in starting a Veteran Social can learn more and download the quick start guide .
Join us this Thursday, October 17 from 3-4 PM ET for the October installment of The Exchange, VHA Innovation Ecosystem's monthly call for VA employees to learn more about innovations changing and saving Veteran lives.
This month will be a unique panel discussion titled "Road to iEX", featuring VA employee innovators who will be featured at the upcoming VHA Innovation Experience in Chicago. In this session, attendees will gain insights into the latest innovations in health care among VHA Centers, Shark Tank finalists, and more as we look forward to seeing them at iEX later this month. This event will provide a platform to ask questions, share ideas, and engage in thoughtful discussions on how to continually improve health care services for Veterans as we look forward to the 2024 VHA Innovation Experience: Collaborating for Change.
Moderator: Matt Rowley, VHA Innovation Ecosystem Community Builder
Panelists:
The Veterans Health Make-a-thon brings Hack-a-thon 2024 winners through a 6-week virtual program and a 3-day in-person boot camp, helping them turn their innovative ideas into viable business cases and initial working prototypes or applications. Participants will receive expert mentorship and prepare to pitch their innovations to VA leaders and subject matter experts, all aimed at improving Veteran health care.
What We Need: We’re seeking mentors from diverse fields like business, policy, medicine, and technology. If you're a medical professional, clinician, software engineer, startup founder, or expert in other fields, your expertise can make a difference.
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Share expertise in areas like UI/UX, Full Stack Development, Customer Discovery, Clinical Insights, Market Research, Business Modeling, and Financial Analysis
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Guide teams through the virtual curriculum and/or in-person boot camp
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Provide feedback to help teams sharpen their pitch presentations and business cases for investor readiness
Why Join? You’ll have the chance to directly impact innovations that will transform Veteran health care, build meaningful relationships, and be part of a dynamic mentor community.
Interested? Click the direct link to complete our survey by October 16th to sign up as a mentor and share your skillsets and availability.
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