Together We Can: a multi-level suicide prevention program for teens, teachers, and caregivers
Official title: Engaging Youth, Caregivers, and Teachers for Suicide Prevention: Developing and Implementing a Multi-Level Intervention
Funded at Brown University · NIH-11404391 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new program for 12–19 year-olds, their teachers, and caregivers to reduce suicide risk through school-based activities, expanded mental health literacy, and guided help-seeking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $239,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R34MH136243-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404391 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged 12– nineteen with focus on students in middle and high school, caregivers, and school staff interested in suicide prevention.
✕Less likely to help
Young people or schools without access to participating sites or those not receptive to program components may see limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create and test a multi-level intervention called Together We Can that engages adolescents, teachers, and caregivers in suicide prevention. It builds on prior work to strengthen mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and coordinate responses across school and home environments. The approach includes socioemotional learning for students, gatekeeper training for teachers, and caregiver education to recognize risk and facilitate help-seeking, with a technology-enabled component to support implementation. The study will be conducted in school settings and will involve training, monitoring, and evaluation to refine the program for broader use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce suicide risk among teens by improving recognition, communication, and access to support across school and family networks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in school-based prevention and gatekeeper training suggests potential benefits, but this project expands to a fully multi-level, technology-supported approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Brown University
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Shufang — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Sun, Shufang
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeted online suicide prevention for Veterans
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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.