Motivational conversations to reduce suicidal thoughts for Veterans
Official title: Motivational Interviewing to Address Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Suicidal Veterans
Funded at Veterans Affairs, United States Department of · NIH-11132648 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers short motivational sessions and a follow-up call to veterans after a suicidal crisis to boost their motivation to live and lower the chance of future suicide attempts.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Affairs, United States Department of NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Canandaigua, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002359-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132648 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are veterans recently hospitalized for a suicidal crisis or who report recent suicidal ideation and are receiving care through the VA.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without recent suicidal crises or who are not receiving VA care are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to receive either the VA's enhanced usual care or the same care plus one or two face-to-face motivational conversations and a brief phone booster. The conversations are short, one-on-one sessions with a trained clinician that focus on resolving mixed feelings about living and strengthening reasons to stay alive. Researchers will track your safety, any suicide attempts, and your mental health over time through interviews and follow-up calls. Most sessions happen at a VA medical center shortly after a hospital stay for a suicidal crisis, with additional check-ins by phone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce suicide attempts after hospital discharge by increasing veterans' motivation to live.
How similar studies have gone: A preliminary randomized trial in hospitalized veterans found that MI-SI-R plus enhanced usual care was associated with about 50% fewer suicide attempts, indicating promising but still preliminary evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Affairs, United States Department of
Canandaigua, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Britton, Peter C — Veterans Affairs, United States Department of
- Study coordinator: Britton, Peter C
Related research
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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.