VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline-Based Telephonic Brief Intervention and Contact (BIC) for Suicide Prevention
Abstract
Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. military. The telephonic BIC for adults at high risk for suicide or post-suicide is both empirically supported and recommended by The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide (VA/DoD CPG). This project conducted a pre-/post-assessment of BIC for suicide prevention as an add-onto the current standard of care at the Mental Health Clinic at David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California. Clinical Question: In active-duty service members aged 18 or above at high risk for suicide, is telephonic BIC linked to a reduction in the number of DoDSER-generated reports, suicide readmissions, and severity of suicidal thoughts (as measured by PHQ-9, question #9 at weeks 1,2, 4, 7, and 11), over an 11-week period? Project Design: This is a process improvement for implementing and evaluating the BIC as an add-on to the current standard of care. Analysis of the Results: Eight participants participated throughout the duration of the project. Post-BIC data demonstrated an overall decrease in the clinics DoDSER-generated reports, a decrease in suicidal ideation severity, and reductions in suicide-related readmissions. At week 2,there was an increase in suicidal thinking severity scores that correlated with an increased need for support. These results aide in early detection and targeting of support to individuals in need. Implications for Practice: BIC implementation at this location was feasible, acceptable, and linked with improvements in suicide-related outcomes. This low-cost intervention may be a valuable addition to the current standard of care for military members at high risk for suicide. Furthermore, this intervention aligns with the Military Health System Quadruple Aim goals of readiness and better health.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 28, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1186295
Entities
People
- Amanda Co
- Matildah Mchatta
- Vesper Wilson
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences