Training friends, family, and caregivers to help Veterans at risk of suicide
Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial of VA S.A.V.E. Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training for Veterans’ Close Supports
This project teaches friends, family, and caregivers simple skills to spot when a Veteran may be thinking about suicide and how to respond to keep them safe.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Portland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180065 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are close to a Veteran, this project offers the VA S.A.V.E. training so you can learn the signs of suicide risk and what steps to take to connect the Veteran to help. People who join will be part of a randomized effectiveness trial comparing training approaches, and outreach will include social media and digital methods to reach supports of Veterans not currently in VA care. The study will use standardized patient simulations to measure how well participants use the skills they learn. The research is run by the Portland VA Medical Center and builds on an earlier pilot that tested this training.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are family members, friends, caregivers, or peers who are close supports of U.S. Veterans and want to learn how to spot and respond to suicide risk.
Not a fit: People who are not close to any Veteran, are already trained as professional suicide-prevention providers, or who need immediate crisis treatment themselves are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could help loved ones recognize danger sooner and connect Veterans to lifesaving care.
How similar studies have performed: A prior pilot randomized trial of VA S.A.V.E. showed promising results, and this will be the first full-scale effectiveness trial of the program.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Portland VA Medical Center — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Teo, Alan — Portland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Teo, Alan
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.