Emergency department safety planning and follow-up for people at risk of suicide
Signature Project
This project offers a brief safety-planning intervention plus follow-up contacts to help people at risk of suicide who come to emergency departments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164824 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be offered a short Safety Planning Intervention while in the emergency department and then contacted afterward for follow-up support to help keep you safe and connect you with outpatient care. ED staff will use a streamlined delivery model supported by the research team to fit the intervention into busy clinical workflows. The team will collect information from medical records and follow-up contacts to see whether people attend outpatient treatment and have fewer suicidal behaviors. Clinicians, health system leaders, and patients will give input to improve how the intervention is delivered.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who present to an emergency department with recent suicidal thoughts or behaviors and who can participate in brief on-site planning and follow-up contacts.
Not a fit: People without current suicidal risk, those unable to receive follow-up contacts, or patients treated at nonparticipating hospitals are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower short-term suicide risk and increase the number of patients who engage in outpatient mental health care after an ED visit.
How similar studies have performed: Prior trials of safety planning plus follow-up have shown promise in reducing suicidal behavior, but applying these practices consistently in busy ED settings remains a challenge.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Gregory K — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Brown, Gregory K
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 below.