Qnnections: Refinement and Pilot Trial of a Suicide Prevention Intervention to Increase Social Connection

Launched by VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT · Jan 27, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Qnnections trial is focused on developing and testing a new program aimed at preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ Veterans who may feel socially isolated or are experiencing suicidal thoughts. This program, called Qnnections, seeks to help participants build social connections and improve their overall well-being. The study will involve Veterans who have experienced these challenges and will work with them to refine the program. Later, the trial will check how well the program works and how acceptable it is to those who take part.

To be eligible for this study, participants need to be Veterans who have thought about suicide in the past month or have acted on those thoughts in the past three months. They should identify as LGBTQ+ or belong to another minoritized gender or sexual identity, and they must have a mental health contact, like a coordinator, to help support them. Participants will need to be willing to create or update a safety plan for their well-being. Importantly, the study is not yet recruiting participants, so there will be more information to come for those interested in joining.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Veterans who report past-month active suicidal ideation (C-SSRS \[Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale\]
• • -- or past-3-month suicidal behavior;
• • LGBTQ+ or other minoritized gender or sexual identity;
• • Have a mental health point-of-contact (e.g., Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Mental Health Treatment Coordinator);
• • Willing to complete or update safety plan.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • cannot provide informed consent;
• • imminent psychiatric hospitalization;
• • current or planned participation in residential/intensive outpatient program that would interfere study participation;
• • in a conservatorship; and
• • has participated in any previous parts of the study.