Enhanced Outreach After ED Visit to Prevent Suicide Attempts
Official title: Pilot Study Health System/Community Partnership for Enhanced Outreach to Prevent Suicide Attempts
Run by Massachusetts General Hospital · NCT05825820 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests a weekly outreach program by a crisis organization after an ED visit for suicidal thoughts to see if it’s doable and helpful for participants.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Massachusetts General Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boston, Massachusetts) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 31, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 2027 |
| Study ends | February 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05825820 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults treated in an MGB ED psychiatry service who own a smartphone, are English-reading, consent to communications, and are willing to share contact information and collateral contacts.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals without access to smartphones or who are unable to consent or communicate via text/email may not benefit from the intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study partners a hospital system with a community crisis line to deliver the Enhanced Outreach Intervention (EOI) after emergency department discharge for suicidal thoughts. The program includes weekly outreach by phone or text for 12 weeks, coping skills, safety planning, and care engagement, plus regular Caring Contacts. Participants complete monthly self-reports and a final interview to assess feasibility, fidelity, and potential impact. Trained Samaritans of Boston staff use standardized decision trees to guide intervention delivery, aiming to improve post-discharge support and linkage to mental health services. The trial compares EOI plus care as usual against usual care within the Mass General Brigham system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better ongoing support after ED discharge and potentially reduced risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous brief contact interventions have reduced suicide risk, and this trial tests a multi-component approach with a community partner for scalability.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Currently a patient being treated and evaluated by psychiatry service in an MGB ED 2. Participants enrolled in another study (NCT05671133; PI Nock) conducted by the research team who fall into the top 50% of risk based on the suicide risk prediction algorithm used in that study 3. Able to read English 4. Ownership of a smartphone (iOS or Android) and consistent access to their smartphone following discharge from the current treatment unit or program; ability to be reliably contacted 5. Willing to provide contact information for collateral contact 6. Willing to share contact information and key clinical information with Samaritans of Boston 7. Consent to unencrypted text or email communications 8. Willing to provide social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) for study compensation Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any factor that impairs an individual's ability to comprehend and effectively participate in informed consent, including the presence of gross cognitive impairment due to florid psychosis, intellectual disability, dementia, or acute intoxication 2. Presence of extremely agitated or violent behavior at the time of consent or enrollment
Where it's running
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Jordan Smoller, MD, ScD — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Rebecca Fortgang, PhD
- Email: RFORTGANG@mgh.harvard.edu
- Phone: 617-726-2000
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.