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An Emergency Department Intervention and Follow-Up to Reduce Suicide Risk in the VA: Acceptability and Effectiveness
Barbara Stanley1, Sadia R Chaudhury1, Megan Chesin1
1Dr. Stanley and Dr. Chaudhury are with the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City (e-mail: bhs2@cumc.columbia.edu ). They are also with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City, where Dr. Chesin is affiliated. Dr. Chesin is also with the Department of Psychology, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey. Dr. Pontoski, Ms. Bush, and Dr. Brown are with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Dr. Brown is also with the VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Philadelphia. Dr. Knox is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.
Objective:
Emergency departments (EDs) are often the primary contact point for suicidal individuals. The post-ED visit period is a high suicide risk time. To address the need for support during this time, a novel intervention was implemented in five Department of Veterans Affairs medical center EDs. The intervention combined the Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) with structured follow-up and monitoring (SFU) by telephone for suicidal individuals who did not require hospitalization. This study assessed the intervention's acceptability and perceived usefulness.
Methods:
A selected sample of 100 intervention participants completed a semistructured interview consisting of open-ended questions about the intervention's acceptability, usefulness, and helpfulness. Satisfaction with the SPI and SFU was separately evaluated.
Results:
Nearly all participants found the SAFE VET intervention to be acceptable, reporting that it was helpful in preventing further suicidal behavior and fostering treatment engagement.
Conclusions:
The SAFE VET intervention showed promise as an ED intervention for suicidal patients.
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