STAY: helping teens stay in care for depression or suicide risk using regular progress check-ins
Official title: Strategic Treatment Assessment with Youth (STAY): A measurement-based care approach to promote treatment retention among youth with depression or suicide risk
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11228775 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses regular patient-reported progress check-ins to make care more relevant and help teens with depression or suicide risk stay engaged in treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | January 16, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $243,196 |
| NIH project number | 5R34MH134915-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11228775 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents (including youths around age 12 and up) receiving outpatient mental health care who have depressive symptoms or are at risk for suicide, along with their caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
This approach may not benefit youth who cannot complete regular self-reports (for example due to severe cognitive impairment, language barriers, or urgent need for inpatient care).
What this research studies
If you are a teen with depression or thoughts of suicide, STAY asks you to regularly report how you're feeling so your therapist can make treatment changes together with you and your caregivers. The program focuses on strengthening your relationship with your clinician and making treatment more acceptable and relevant to your needs. The team will pilot the approach, create clinic protocols and clinician training, and test whether these routine check-ins help teens stay in outpatient care. They will look at whether STAY reduces depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts while improving treatment retention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, STAY could help more adolescents stay in mental health care, reduce depression symptoms, and lower suicide risk by tailoring treatment using regular feedback.
How similar studies have gone: Measurement-based care has improved depression outcomes in adult and some youth settings, but using it specifically to improve treatment retention for suicidal or depressed adolescents is a newer, pilot-stage application.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Connors, Elizabeth Halsted — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Connors, Elizabeth Halsted
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Treatment to Help Depression in Older Adults at Risk of Suicide
A new behavioral program for older adults with depression and high suicide risk aims to improve sleep and mood and reduce suicidal thoughts after treatment.
-
Imaging the brain's endocannabinoid system in young people with depression or suicidal behavior
The team will use PET brain scans to measure an enzyme that controls natural cannabis-like chemicals in teens and young adults with depression, some with past suicide attempts.
-
Using a sleep and body‑clock treatment to lower depression and suicide risk in older adults
Seeing whether a behavioral program that stabilizes sleep and daily body clocks helps adults 21+ with moderate-to-severe depression who have active suicidal thoughts or a past suicide attempt.
-
Exploring how endocannabinoid metabolism relates to depression and suicide in young people
This study is looking at how a specific system in the body might affect feelings of sadness and thoughts of suicide in teens aged 12 to 20, focusing on a particular enzyme that could change how we feel and act, with the hope of finding new ways to help those struggling with these issues.
-
Improving treatment retention for minority youth with depression or suicide risk
This study is looking to help young people from diverse backgrounds who are struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide by creating a personalized treatment plan that fits their needs and culture, making it easier for them to stick with their mental health care.
-
Using an AI assistant to screen for suicide, depression, and anxiety
This study is testing a new app called Clairity™ that uses smart technology to help spot signs of suicide, depression, and anxiety by listening to how people talk, making it easier for schools and healthcare providers to support those who might need help.
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.