VA virtual mental health care and suicide prevention
Official title: VA's virtual care initiatives and suicide prevention
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11245713 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use VA health records and new analysis methods to find out whether virtual mental health services help prevent suicide and reach underserved Veterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2024 |
| Project end | September 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2HX003723-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11245713 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans enrolled in VA mental health services, especially those who use or could use telehealth and those at risk for suicide, would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People not enrolled in VA care or who do not use digital technology are unlikely to be affected directly by this project.
What this research studies
Many Veterans face barriers getting mental health care and about 6,000 die by suicide each year. The project will analyze VA clinical records using modern causal inference and machine‑learning tools to examine three recent telehealth initiatives. Researchers will combine those quantitative analyses with qualitative methods and an equity lens to understand who benefits and who is left behind. The goal is to produce evidence and practical lessons to inform VA mental health and telehealth programs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide VA policies to expand virtual care approaches that reduce suicide risk and narrow access disparities for Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Smaller or localized studies suggest telehealth can improve access and outcomes, but large-scale, rigorous causal-inference analyses across VA programs are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gujral, Kritee — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Gujral, Kritee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mobile safety planning for at-risk young adults
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INCLUSAVE: helping young adults with IDD access suicide-prevention trainings
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Technology-assisted suicide prevention for youth in Colombian school settings
A youth-focused program will test a culturally tailored digital platform and teacher training to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors in schools.
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Qnnections: A Social Connection‑Focused Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Veterans
A new group-based program tailored for LGBTQ+ Veterans aims to strengthen belonging and reduce burdensomeness to help prevent suicide.
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Nurse- and Peer-Led Suicide Prevention for Women in Tajikistan
A nurse- and peer-led program in Tajikistan aims to help women at risk of suicide by adding tailored, frontline support in primary care.
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Targeted online suicide prevention for Veterans
A web-based, one-session intervention for Veterans to reduce thoughts of suicide and self-harm by helping them manage distress and rigid thinking.
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.