Preventing Suicidal Behavior With Diverse High-Risk Youth in Acute Care Settings

Youth and young adults who present to emergency departments (EDs) with suicide-related concerns need timely access to effective interventions and follow-up care. However, evidence is limited regarding which brief interventions are most effective for this population. This study focuses on youth and young adults ages 12-24 receiving care in five racially and ethnically diverse geographic areas: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; St. Petersburg, Florida; and New York City, New York. This multisite randomized controlled trial compares two brief interventions: the Safety Planning Intervention with follow-up contacts (SPI+) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents-Ultra Short Crisis Intervention (IPT-A SCI). SPI+ is a suicide-specific intervention that helps participants recognize warning signs and identify coping strategies and sources of support to prevent suicidal crises from escalating. It combines safety planning in the acute care setting with follow-up contacts. IPT-A SCI is a brief psychotherapy intervention delivered primarily in outpatient settings that addresses interpersonal problems associated with suicidal crises and helps participants develop communication and interpersonal problem-solving skills. The study will examine the comparative effectiveness of these interventions in reducing suicidal ideation and suicide events among youth and young adults following an acute care visit for suicide risk. Although both approaches are intended to support participants during periods of elevated risk, the approaches differ in focus, intensity, and delivery setting. Understanding comparative effectiveness can help guide treatment decisions, implementation, and resource allocation across acute care and outpatient settings. The research team works with a racially and ethnically diverse group of partners and advisors, including advocates, researchers, ED physicians, nurses, social workers, and individuals with lived experience of suicide attempts or suicide loss. Partners and advisors have contributed to recruitment strategies, intervention approaches, and follow-up procedures and will continue to inform study conduct, interpretation of findings, and dissemination. Findings from this study will help inform care for youth and young adults presenting to EDs with suicide-related concerns and support the implementation of effective, brief interventions across diverse clinical settings.