Support for suicide-prevention care in pediatric primary care
Official title: Signature Project
Funded at Research Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp · NIH-11419968 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A nationwide program is testing a way to help doctors in primary care prevent suicide attempts among youth, using a stepped approach to put proven practices into routine care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $613,212 |
| NIH project number | 5P50MH127476-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419968 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Youth aged roughly 10–19 seen in primary care clinics, with attention to those at risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without risk factors or those not engaged in primary care services may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports a large, real-world project in pediatric primary care clinics to reduce suicide risk in youth. It uses a stepped-wedge design to introduce a quality-improvement package that includes evidence-based screening and safety planning. The focus is on how well these practices work when integrated into everyday practice, not in a lab setting. Results could show how to implement effective suicide prevention across many clinics and improve care for young patients and their families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help primary care clinics prevent suicidality in youths and connect at-risk patients with timely support.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show benefits of evidence-informed practices, but effectiveness in primary care populations in a real-world rollout is still being established.
Where this research is happening
-
Research Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fontanella, Cynthia Ann — Research Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp
- Study coordinator: Fontanella, Cynthia Ann
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.