ACTively Integrating Suicide Risk Assessment Into Primary Care Settings

Area of Science:

• Integrated primary care
• Mental health services
• Suicide risk assessment

Background:

• Effective suicide risk management in primary care necessitates provider awareness, comfort with information gathering, and continuous training.
• Primary care settings are increasingly integrating mental health services, expanding the role of primary care providers (PCPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure PCPs' awareness, comfort, and training regarding suicide risk assessment in urban primary care settings undergoing integrated care implementation.
• To explore the relationship between PCP comfort with psychological trauma assessment and their engagement in safety planning for suicidal patients.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 31 PCPs across two urban primary care sites.
• The survey assessed provider awareness, comfort, and training related to suicide risk assessment and psychological trauma.

Main Results:

• Increased PCP comfort in inquiring about psychological trauma was significantly associated with more frequent safety planning interventions for suicidal patients.
• Findings indicate a need for trauma-informed approaches within primary care.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing PCP training is vital to equip them for their expanded roles in suicide risk assessment and management within integrated care models.
• Trauma-informed care is essential for improving the quality of suicide prevention services delivered by primary care providers.