This study evaluates the effectiveness of Pathfinding, a 6-month, remotely-delivered case management intervention designed to decrease suicidal behavior among active-duty Regular Army soldiers recently discharged from inpatient psychiatric treatment. Soldiers discharged from military treatment facilities across the U.S. will be identified and recruited to participate. Those who consent will be randomly assigned to receive either Treatment As Usual (TAU), which is the Army's standard post-discharge care, or TAU plus Pathfinding. Participants will complete a baseline assessment and follow-up assessments 6 months and 12 months later. The 6- and 12-month follow-up periods will also include examination of participants' electronic healthcare data and Army administrative data. The overall goals of the study are: (1) to evaluate whether Pathfinding decreases suicidal behaviors among soldiers transitioning from psychiatric hospitalization back to the community; and (2) to determine which discharged soldiers are most likely to benefit from the Pathfinding intervention versus TAU alone.
Active duty Regular Army soldiers recently discharged from inpatient psychiatric care at a military treatment facility in the US
Access to telephone and computer (including smartphone)
Impaired ability to provide informed consent
Terminal illness
Failure to complete baseline survey within 30 days of discharge
Positive screen for post-discharge suicide-related behaviors
Parallel
Pathfinding
BehavioralThe Pathfinding intervention consists of remote (videoconference or phone) interactions between participants and masters-level Guides over the 6 months following study enrollment. Participants have the option of involving a support person (SP) in the intervention (e.g., family member, friend). First 4 sessions (45 min. each) occur as soon as possible following hospital discharge and focus on orientation to Pathfinding, identifying a SP, and identifying and prioritizing values/needs, values-consistent goals, corresponding actions, and relevant resources. Participants subsequently receive up to 10 brief (15-30 min. each) contacts to monitor risk and progress. Frequency of contacts is front-loaded and diminishes over time as participants take more control over managing their transition. SPs are contacted for up to 5 sessions (10-15 min. each) to help with monitoring and support. Sessions, risk assessments, and any crisis response actions are documented in the electronic health record.
Treatment As Usual (TAU)
BehavioralTAU is standard post-discharge care based on Defense Health Agency policy (DHA Administrative Instruction 6025.06): Discharge plans must consist of referral with plans for outpatient or partial hospitalization follow-up within 7 days (optimally within 72 hours). Discharged patients are placed on a High-Risk (HR) list for at least 30 days. During this period, patients are seen weekly for follow-up appointments or attendance of the HR group if individual psychotherapy is not available. If, after 4 weeks, the patient is assessed as no longer acutely suicidal, they are removed from the HR list. After removal from the HR list, patients are seen either weekly or every other week, depending on clinical need. Initial care coordination is handled by the discharge nurse. Ongoing care coordination is managed by the outpatient mental health team. Safety planning is conducted at discharge and every few sessions thereafter using the DHA safety plan. Safety assessments are conducted at each visit.
Suicide-related behaviors
Suicide-related behaviors are defined as: suicide death (administratively documented or informant reported), nonfatal suicide attempt (self-reported or administratively documented), and interrupted suicide attempt, aborted suicide attempt, and preparatory behaviors for suicide (the latter 3 are all self-reported).
Number of suicide attempts
A count of nonfatal suicide attempts (self-reported or administratively documented) that occurred during the follow-up period.
Rehospitalization
Psychiatric hospitalization (self-reported, informant reported, or administratively documented) during the follow-up period.
Non-suicide death
Any manner of death other than suicide (informant reported or administratively documented) during the follow-up period.
Risky behaviors
Risky behaviors (self-reported) related to driving or riding in a vehicle, sexual encounters, and aggression (bullying, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence) during the follow-up period.
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Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Lead sponsor
Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
Collaborator
University of Michigan
Collaborator
