A Novel Peer-Delivered Recovery-Focused Suicide Prevention Intervention for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness
Suicide is a major public health concern, particularly among Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI, i.e., psychotic disorders or bipolar disorders). Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is a well-established evidence-based practice for those with SMI that centers on identifying warning signs of mental illness, developing wellness tools for functional independence, planning for day-to-day effective living within one's community, and building an action plan to create a valued life worth living. This proposed study will refine and pilot SUicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT), a novel integrated recovery program that is an adaptation of peer-delivered WRAP for Veterans with SMI. In SUPPORT, a Peer Specialist leads a Veteran at increased risk for suicide through recovery planning that is tailored to the Veteran's suicidal experiences with cognitive learning strategies to enhance safety plan recall and improve functioning.
⁃ Veteran Inclusion Criteria:
• Veterans who report present suicidal ideation (i.e., Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) \> 2 (Active thoughts of killing oneself) in past 1 month and/or a suicide attempt in the prior 3 months as identified by the C-SSRS
• Current SMI diagnosis (i.e., schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders with psychotic features, bipolar disorders)
• Capable of informed consent via the University of California San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC)
⁃ Peer Specialist Inclusion Criteria:
• Certified Peer Specialist employed at VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) in the Mental Health Care Line (individuals must demonstrate competency in basic suicide screening and referral procedures to be certified)
• 2-3 years of experience post certification as a Certified Peer Specialist
• Interest in being trained in SUPPORT
• Provide verbal or written consent for the research staff to discuss ability to participate in the study with the Peer Specialist's direct clinical supervisor
• Direct clinical supervisor agreement to allow the Peer Specialist to participate. This includes the Peer Specialist's direct clinical supervisor agreement to allow the Peer Specialist time as part of their current scope of practice to 1) participate in the full day (8-hour) SUPPORT training, 2) participate in weekly 1-hour group supervision for the duration of the Peer Specialist's time in the study, and 3) take on a case load of at least one SUPPORT Veteran at a given time.