Focused Suicide Prevention Strategy for Youth Presenting to the Emergency Department With Suicide Related Behaviour (IAMSAFE)

The Hospital for Sick Children

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Suicide, Attempted; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Prevention; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Suicide and Self-harm; Suicide

Treatments: Behavioral: NAV (Telephone Navigation); Behavioral: SAFE Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06225661

REB1000056892

Details and patient eligibility

About

Suicide is the leading cause of death due to illness among Canadian youth, claiming more lives than any medical illness, including cancer. Suicide prevention is possible, and early intervention is needed. The investigators will examine the effectiveness of a previously-piloted, ED-based suicide prevention intervention, across Canadian sites, using a randomized clinical trial design. The investigators will determine whether the patient- and family-centered intervention is more effective than enhanced usual care in reducing suicide-related behaviors in 330 youth at high-risk of suicide.

Full description

This is a Multi-site Randomized Controlled Trial of a patient- and family-centered suicide prevention intervention added to usual care (SAFE + UC) for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who present to the Emergency Department (ED) with suicidal ideation or suicide risk behaviours. The investigators will determine whether the SAFE + UC intervention is more effective than enhanced usual care (telephone navigation + UC) in reducing suicide-related behaviors in 330 youth at high-risk of suicide across Canadian sites.

SAFE + UC is a 6-week, standardized, manualized outpatient program that teaches participants to the skills to manage suicidal thoughts and impulses effectively. The family component addresses conflictual relationships that may be present in the family as well as improving family communication.

Telephone navigation (NAV) + UC consists of up to 6 weekly telephone calls to ensure that the participant has connected with community resources suggested by the ED team and provide additional resources as needed.

Enrollment: 330 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Youth presenting in the Emergency Department with SIQ-Jr score ≥ 31,
• Has a participating parent or caregiver who is able to communicate easily in English, or is willing to communicate using a hospital-organized translator,
• Between the ages 12-17 years old,
• Living in the catchment area of one of the three hospital sites and access to a telephone.

Exclusion criteria

• Score of 3 on KSADS screen for current psychosis or elevated mood
• Moderate to severe intellectual disability, and/or autism based on clinical chart.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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330 participants in 2 patient groups

SAFE Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This group will receive the SAFE individual youth and family-based intervention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: SAFE Intervention

NAV (Telephone Navigation)

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group will receive telephone-based case navigation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: NAV (Telephone Navigation)