A Health System/Community Partnership for Enhanced Outreach to Prevent Suicide Attempts

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Suicide, Suicide, Attempted, Suicidal Ideation

In brief

The goal of this study is to test an enhanced outreach intervention (EOI) delivered by Samaritans of Boston (a community organization that provides support during mental health crises) for people after they leave an emergency department (ED) visit for suicidal thoughts. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the EOI reduce suicide-related behaviors? * Does the EOI increase outpatient treatment attendance? * Is the EOI acceptable and feasible? * Can the EOI be delivered with fidelity by Samaritans? Participants will be randomized to the EOI plus care as usual or care as usual alone. Participants in the EOI plus care as usual group will: * Receive outreach (by call or text) at a planned time once per week for the next 12 weeks. During these conversations, Samaritans staff will ask participants questions about their suicidal thoughts and behaviors, develop and review a list of coping skills to use if they have suicidal thoughts, and discuss plans for receiving mental health care. * Receive caring messages from Samaritans staff at least once per week. * Receive standard care that hospitals give for patients who present with suicidal thoughts. * Be asked to complete monthly self-report questionnaires. For care as usual alone, participants will: * Receive standard care that hospitals give for patients who present with suicidal thoughts. * Be asked to complete monthly self-report questionnaires.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT05837026
Run by: Massachusetts General Hospital
People needed: 300
Starts: 2026-06-01
Expected to finish: 2027-11-01
Last updated by the study team: 2026-01-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Currently a patient being treated and evaluated by psychiatry service in an MGB ED
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
Able to read English
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
Willing to provide contact information for collateral contact
Willing to share contact information and key clinical information with Samaritans of Boston
Consent to unencrypted text or email communications
Willing to provide social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) for study compensation

You may not qualify if…

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
Presence of extremely agitated or violent behavior at the time of consent or enrollment

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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