Pilot Study of Health System/Community Partnership for Enhanced Outreach to Prevent Suicide Attempts

Launched by MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · Apr 11, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking to improve support for people who have had thoughts of suicide after visiting the emergency department. The study will test a program called Enhanced Outreach Intervention (EOI), provided by a community organization called Samaritans of Boston. This program will reach out to participants through calls or texts once a week for 12 weeks. During these conversations, Samaritans staff will talk about the participants' feelings, provide coping strategies, and help them plan for ongoing mental health care. Participants will also receive supportive messages weekly and will be asked to fill out monthly questionnaires and have a phone interview at the end of the study.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must be currently receiving treatment at a mental health service in the emergency department and be part of another related study. They should be able to read English and own a smartphone to stay in touch. Additionally, they need to be willing to share their contact information and some personal details with the research team. This study is not yet recruiting participants, but it aims to ensure that the outreach program is both effective and well-received by those who need it.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Currently a patient being treated and evaluated by psychiatry service in an MGB ED
• • 2. Participants enrolled in another study (NCT05671133; PI Nock) conducted by the research team who fall into the top 50% of risk based on the suicide risk prediction algorithm used in that study
• • 3. Able to read English
• • 4. Ownership of a smartphone (iOS or Android) and consistent access to their smartphone following discharge from the current treatment unit or program; ability to be reliably contacted
• • 5. Willing to provide contact information for collateral contact
• • 6. Willing to share contact information and key clinical information with Samaritans of Boston
• • 7. Consent to unencrypted text or email communications
• • 8. Willing to provide social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) for study compensation
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Any factor that impairs an individual's ability to comprehend and effectively participate in informed consent, including the presence of gross cognitive impairment due to florid psychosis, intellectual disability, dementia, or acute intoxication
• • 2. Presence of extremely agitated or violent behavior at the time of consent or enrollment