Impact of suicide prevention training in the VA: One Year Follow up Study 

Principal Investigator: Monica M. Matthieu, PhD
Funder:  08/01/06-06/30/07: University of Rochester, National Research Service Award

(NRSA) T32 (PI: Conwell)

                09/21/06-09-01-07: Department of Veterans Affairs
Timeframe: 08/01/06-01/08
Affiliation: Center of Mental Health Services and Research

Project Staff:  George Warren Brown School:

 Monica M. Matthieu, PhD, PI

                         Peter Dore, MA, Director of Data Management

                         Lisa Lawrence, MSW, Research Materials Specialist

                        University of Rochester:

             Kerry Knox, PhD

             Wendi Cross, PhD

            Department of Veterans Affairs:

             Marry Schohn, PhD (Co-PI)

             Alfonso R. Batres, PhD

             Charles M. Flora, MSW

Project Contact:   Monica M. Matthieu, PhD
                              (314) 935-8511

                              mmatthieu@gwbmail.wustl.edu
                               
Project Update as of 09/27/07:
Stage: Active

Description:

This study began in 2005 with collaborators from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Dr. Alfonso Batres and Mr. Charles Flora from the Office of Readjustment Counseling, Drs. Mary Schohn and Larry Lantinga from Veterans Integrated Service Network 2 and our academic collaborators from the University of Rochester, Drs. Kerry Knox and Wendi Cross. In 2007, the Principal Investigator of this study, Dr. Monica Matthieu moved to Washington University in St. Louis and has since received pilot study funding from the Center for Mental Health Services Research.

The purpose of this study, Impact of Suicide Prevention Training in the VA: One Year Follow up Study, is to analyze one year follow up survey data (linked with pre-post data already collected) from veteran service providers who participated in our two-phase pilot study undertaken with the VA. In this longitudinal panel designed study, we trained nearly 900 VA employees from two different work settings on an educational in-service program: gatekeeper training for suicide prevention. In phase one of our study, veteran service providers were surveyed prior to and immediately after gatekeeper training. In phase two, one year follow up surveys and self-report referrals to care from this cohort of trained VA employees was collected. The VA settings were:

(1)   Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS), a national network of 209 community based counseling centers (called Vet Centers) that serve veterans, families, and communities across the United States

(2)   Veterans Healthcare System Update New York (VISN 2), a regional integrated health care delivery system with 6 medical centers and 28 outpatient clinics serving veterans in 47 New York State and 2 Northern Pennsylvania counties.

Our goal in the present study is to examine the association between suicide prevention training impact and self report referrals at 1 year follow up. To this end, we propose the following data analysis aims: (1) determine which provider characteristics are more strongly associated with training impact immediately after suicide prevention education and training and are sustained over a one year follow up period and (2)   determine which individual characteristics are more strongly associated with high and low referral patterns and the diffusion of information related to suicide prevention training at one year follow up.

The results of this study will guide the field of suicide prevention to more appropriately select suicide prevention educational initiatives that are targeted to individual level characteristics of veteran service providers whose job it is to engage, identify and refer a high risk group of veterans to services.

Public Health Significance: The aim of this study is to increase the capacity of community based veteran service providers to identify and refer veterans at risk for suicide, some of whom may be recently returned from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, to services. Potentially, increasing awareness of suicide and identifying direct routes to services that can be mobilized across the life course by the concerned family or community providers may have enduring impacts.

Future Research:  This study provides preliminary data for ongoing suicide prevention research and provides a foundation for the PI’s career development award application.