AFSP and JED Announce Intent to Merge and Become the Largest Suicide Prevention Nonprofit

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and The Jed Foundation (JED) have shared their intent to combine and become the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention/The Jed Foundation (AFSP/JED), which would be the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention across the lifespan—with the merger expected to be completed by fall of 2026, subject to the approval by the New York State Attorney General.

This merge will combine the resources of AFSP and JED in the hopes of creating an even stronger, more impactful organization with the joint mission of preventing suicide across the lifespan and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. Ultimately, AFSP/JED will seek to realize the vision of a world without suicide.

Insights From Leaders

AFSP/JED will have an annual operating budget of approximately $75 million and net assets of roughly $140 million. The current JED CEO, John MacPhee, will lead the combined organization following the closing. Bob Gebbia, the CEO of the AFSP, will stay on as the immediate past CEO of the combined organization through his retirement on January 15, 2027, to support the integration. Michael Satow, JED’s chair of the board of directors, and Ray Paul, Jr, AFSP’s national board chair, will become cochairs of AFSP/JED for 1 year from the effective date of the integration. Following the first year, Satow will serve as chair of the board of directors.

“AFSP/JED will uniquely serve our country and local communities through effective suicide prevention approaches and the knowledge and expertise of our incredible teams, resources, and program areas,” said MacPhee. “Uniting AFSP’s focus on translating science into actionable suicide prevention strategies, policies, and research funding alongside a vibrant volunteer chapter network with JED’s expertise and programs designed to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, will create a dynamic organization. AFSP/JED will be greater than the sum of its parts and uniquely equipped to save more lives, reduce suicide risk, and improve mental health outcomes. All while bringing profound hope and support to individuals and families in need, and to those affected by suicide risk or loss.”

“At this time of urgent and growing demand for mental health and suicide prevention support, the combining of AFSP and JED represents a bold leap forward, and will strengthen the future of suicide prevention in our country,” said Gebbia. “Suicide is a health outcome that impacts people from every walk of life. While our organizations could continue to make a positive impact operating separately, this merger will enable us to better fulfill our mission of saving lives and bringing hope to people impacted by suicide across the entire lifespan."

The Combined Approach

According to the announcement, the AFSP/JED combined approach will:

• Provide individuals with knowledge, skills, and resources on mental health and suicide prevention so they can seek help, support others, and thrive.
• Advance and translate research into practical tools, insights, and standards that strengthen prevention and save lives.
• Implement a comprehensive, systems-level approach that strengthens connectedness and coping skills, promotes well-being, connects people to mental health care, and reduces risks for suicide by shaping the environments where people live, learn, work, and connect.
• Promote youth mental health and prevent suicide by applying this comprehensive approach in schools, youth-serving organizations, and digital spaces.
• Foster community and healing among those affected by suicide, including suicide loss, by building understanding, offering support, and creating hope.
• Drive policy and systems change through advocacy, partnerships, and shared data to ensure every community is engaged in preventing suicide.

Shared Origins and Values

While AFSP and JED have independently achieved significant success, they also have a history of working together and share origin stories and values. Together, the organizations founded and worked collaboratively on “Seize the Awkward,” which is a national campaign in partnership with the Ad Council that empowers young adults to talk openly about mental health and check in on friends who may be struggling. The partners have also collaborated for years as part of the National Council for Suicide Prevention. As to origin stories, both were founded by individuals who had each personally experienced the loss of loved ones to suicide. For AFSP, a small group of loss survivors joined with concerned researchers to invest in better science and the knowledge on how to prevent suicide. JED was founded by Phil and Donna Satow following the loss of their youngest son, Jed, to suicide while he was a college student. At the time of Jed’s death, there was no uniform model for preventing suicide in schools and mental health was frequently overlooked due to stigma. Thus, the Satows created a suicide prevention blueprint to help students navigate the emotional challenges of high school and college, prepare for adulthood, and thrive.

Cut to now, when both organizations are at the top of their performance. AFSP is now the world’s leading private funder of suicide research, supported by 56,000 volunteer advocates and 73 chapters delivering suicide prevention in communities across all 50 states, and providing support for those affected by suicide. JED is the nation’s leading organization for youth mental health and suicide prevention, and the organization partners with nearly 1500 schools and community-based organizations, serving 10 million youth through The JED Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention, and has engaged more than 30 million stakeholders.

With suicide remaining one of the leading causes of death in the United States,² this combined effort will hopefully make a difference in mental health outcomes for millions across the nation.

References

1. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation announce intent to merge as equals; becoming the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention across the lifespan. April 21, 2026. Accessed April 22, 2026. https://afsp.org/story/american-foundation-for-suicide-prevention-and-the-jed-foundation-announce-intent

2. Suicide data and statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 26, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html