Comparing two PTSD treatments for Veterans at high suicide risk
Official title: A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial of Treatments for Veterans with PTSD at Elevated Acute Risk for Suicide
Funded at VA Puget Sound Healthcare System · NIH-11222673 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares a combined Dialectical Behavior Therapy plus Prolonged Exposure approach to standard Prolonged Exposure with suicide risk management for Veterans with PTSD who are at high immediate risk of suicide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Puget Sound Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003676-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11222673 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans with PTSD who are currently judged to be at elevated acute risk for suicide, such as those with recent self-directed violence.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not Veterans, do not have PTSD, or are not at elevated acute suicide risk are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
If you join, you would be randomly assigned to either a combined DBT + DBT Prolonged Exposure program or the current VA approach of Prolonged Exposure plus suicide risk management, delivered in VA clinics. Therapists will follow structured treatment protocols and participants will have regular safety monitoring and follow-up for self-directed violence and PTSD symptoms. The study also looks at how these treatments could be put into routine VA care, including therapist training and practical barriers. Researchers will collect symptom measures, records of self-directed violence, and implementation data over the treatment and follow-up period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower suicide attempts and PTSD symptoms for Veterans and help the VA adopt clearer treatment guidance for high-risk patients.
How similar studies have gone: Smaller pilot work suggests DBT combined with Prolonged Exposure is feasible, acceptable, and promising, but a larger randomized trial is needed to confirm benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Puget Sound Healthcare System
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harned, Melanie — VA Puget Sound Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Harned, Melanie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Combining therapies to help Veterans with PTSD and suicidal thoughts
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Understanding Invisible Suicide Risks in Youth: A National Study in Guyana
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Understanding how PTSD affects self-control and brain function
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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.