Targeted Intensive Case Management of Veterans at Risk of Suicide Post Inpatient Hospitalization

Suicide is a problem of great public health importance. The great majority of suicides occur among people with psychiatric disorders, and among psychiatric patients, those recently discharged from psychiatric hospitalization have highest suicide risk. Intensive post-discharge case management programs have been shown to reduce post-discharge suicides, but the rarity of these events even among recently-hospitalized patients makes it infeasible to argue for universal implementation of intensive post-discharge case management. Researchers propose to address this problem by carrying out a pragmatic trial among psychiatric inpatients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare system judged to be at high risk of post-discharge suicide (based on a validated prediction model). Researchers will evaluate the effects of a scalable remote post-discharge moderate intensity adjunctive intervention, the Coping Long Term with Active Suicide Program (CLASP), and carry out a heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) analysis to determine how these effects vary as a function of patient characteristics and features of the post-discharge treatment environment. Patients in the CLASP treatment will be asked to nominate a significant other (SO) to participate in the program with them. SO participation is optional. The aim of this research is to conduct a multi-site randomized controlled trial (N=850) of the CLASP intervention compared to treatment as usual for Veterans at risk for suicide post inpatient hospitalization. Assessments will occur at baseline and 6 months post discharge. Medical, administrative, and vital records will be obtained for each participant. The primary outcome of this study will be post-discharge suicide-related behaviors (including deaths due to suicide, opioid overdose, or other substance-related accidents; and nonfatal suicide attempts) in the 6 months post-discharge. Researchers will also evaluate secondary outcomes involving patient suicidal ideation and functioning.