A Mixed Methods Pilot Trial of the STEP Home Workshop to Improve Reintegration and Reduce Suicide Risk for Recently Transitioned Veterans
Risk of Veteran suicide is elevated during the first year of transition from military service to civilian life. Most Veteran suicides occur among Veterans who are not connected to VA healthcare. Suicide prevention and connection to care are therefore critical for recently transitioning Veterans. Transitioning Veterans require services to provide them with suicide prevention education, skills to manage their transition effectively, and support in their access to VA healthcare. Convenient, accessible, palatable, patient-centered care options that are cost-effective, easy to implement nationwide, and target domains known to mitigate suicide risk are needed during this critical transition period. This proposal would bridge this important healthcare gap using STEP-Home-SP, a transdiagnostic, non-stigmatizing, skills-based workshop. STEP-Home-SP will provide Veterans with suicide prevention education, skills to improve transition, support to access VA care, and a platform to decrease social isolation early in their military to civilian transition, thereby reducing suicide risk downstream.
• Recently transitioned Veterans within one year of separation from military service
• Self-reported functional impairment or reintegration difficulties as measured by the Military-to-Civilian Questionnaire (any item score \> 1 indicating some difficulty; M2CQ; \[71\])
• Sufficient English fluency
• Agree to participate (informed consent/HIPAA)