Reducing Firearm Suicide Among Veterans: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Peer-Delivered Lethal Means Counseling

Launched by VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT · Jun 13, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new way to help Veterans reduce the risk of suicide involving firearms by encouraging safer storage of guns. The study will test a short, one-hour conversation led by a fellow Veteran, who will talk about the benefits and challenges of storing firearms securely. The goal is to see if this peer-to-peer approach helps Veterans store their firearms more safely compared to just receiving educational materials on the topic. Researchers will follow participants for one year to check if safer storage habits improve over time.

Veterans who own at least one firearm and currently do not store it securely may be eligible to join. Participants need to be able to attend virtual meetings using a phone, tablet, or computer with internet access. People with active psychosis, limited English skills, or no access to virtual technology would not qualify. If you join, you’ll take part in a brief discussion with a peer and then be followed up for a year to see how your firearm storage habits may change. This study could help create a helpful, Veteran-led way to prevent firearm suicide that can reach many Veterans, including those not currently using VA healthcare.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Veteran
• • Owns at least one personal firearm
• • Displays some level of unsecure firearm storage (i.e., scores \< 6 on MIRECC Lethal Means Questionnaire eligibility screener)
• • Capable of meeting via virtual modalities for appointments (i.e., owns a device capable of connecting for virtual appointments, has internet access)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Active psychosis
• • Insufficient English language skills
• • No reliable access to a telephone and/or device for attending appointments via virtual modalities
• • Prior participation in the PI's CDA-1 study (N = 16)