Big-data driven suicide prevention for Veterans
Official title: Using big data to develop universal and selective suicide prevention strategies
Funded at White River Junction VA Medical Center · NIH-11172634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big-data project aimed at identifying and helping Veterans at risk of suicide who aren’t flagged by current prediction methods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | White River Junction VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (White River Junction, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2CX002630-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11172634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans who may not be identified as high-risk by current prediction tools but who are at elevated risk based on broader data patterns.
✕Less likely to help
Some Veterans may not experience changes in risk prediction or access to resources during the study period.
What this research studies
This project uses large sets of health and service data to better identify Veterans at risk for suicide who aren’t captured by existing screening tools. It aims to develop and test new population-based approaches to predict risk and to tailor prevention resources for a broader group. The work will be led by Dr. Maxwell Levis at the White River Junction VA Medical Center and will involve building skills in population health methods and applying them to real-world VA data. The goal is to expand reach and effectiveness of suicide prevention services for Veterans who were previously overlooked by current risk models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reduce Veteran suicidality by improving early detection and expanding access to targeted prevention resources.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown promise with data-driven prediction, but this project focuses on the under-identified, non-high-risk group for potential new benefits.
Where this research is happening
-
White River Junction VA Medical Center
White River Junction, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levis, Maxwell Eli Joshua — White River Junction VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Levis, Maxwell Eli Joshua
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Nurse- and Peer-Led Suicide Prevention for Women in Tajikistan
A nurse- and peer-led program in Tajikistan aims to help women at risk of suicide by adding tailored, frontline support in primary care.
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Targeted online suicide prevention for Veterans
A web-based, one-session intervention for Veterans to reduce thoughts of suicide and self-harm by helping them manage distress and rigid thinking.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.