Recruiting

VA BIC

Sponsor:

VA Office of Research and Development

Code:

NCT06596044

Conditions

Suicide Prevention

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

VA BIC

Standard Care

Study Details

Brief summary:

The study is of high importance to Veterans' health because it will study a suicide prevention intervention in a Veteran population that is at high risk of suicide but has not been a specific focus of the Veteran Affairs' (VA's) suicide prevention efforts. Specifically, a growing number of Veterans are now receiving acute mental health treatment in VA-purchased settings (commonly referred to as Community Care). While these Veterans are at high risk of suicide after discharge, very little is known about how to prevent suicide in these Veterans. This study will directly address this problem by looking at whether a promising suicide prevention strategy called the VA Brief Intervention and Contact Program (VA BIC) can decrease the risk of suicide in Veterans after they are discharged from a non-VA mental health treatment setting. The proposed research is highly pertinent to the VA's top clinical priority-to prevent suicide in Veterans.

Conditions

Suicide Prevention

Study ID

NCT06596044

Start date

Oct 1, 2025

Status verified date

Sep, 2026

Completion date

Sep 30, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun 30, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Veteran who is eligible to receive VA services
  • Able to speak English
  • Received acute psychiatric treatment in a non-VA setting affiliated with VA in Northern New England
  • Endorse recent suicidal ideation (score 2+ on Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable to provide informed consent
  • Currently receiving assertive community treatment
  • Potentially vulnerable populations including prisoners, institutionalized patients, or patients currently admitted on involuntary commitment status
  • Study physician deems the patient is not clinically appropriate because of clinical status such as presence of active psychosis or dementia

Study Design

Enrollment

120 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: VA Brief Intervention and Contact Program (VA BIC)

Patients randomized to VA BIC will receive the VA BIC intervention plus standard care

other: Standard Care

Patients randomized to the control arm will receive standard care alone.

Interventions

VA BIC

VA BIC is a suicide prevention strategy that is designed to meet the needs of Veterans who receive acute psychiatric treatment. VA BIC can be delivered by a trained mental health provider (e.g., mental health nurse, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist). VA BIC includes two synergistic elements to support the patient after a mental health discharge. The elements include a brief educational session, where the patient receives a one-on-one, one-hour, personalized educational session on suicide prevention. The session incorporates aspects of motivational interviewing. The patient then receives 7 regular follow-up contacts that are conducted by the interventionist. Here the interventionist monitors symptoms, assesses treatment adherence, reviews the safety plan, and assists the patient with engaging in steps to promote their well-being. The sessions incorporate aspects of motivational interviewing. Of note patients in this arm will also receive standard care.

Standard Care

Regardless of study assignment, all patients will have access to standard care provided upon mental health discharge in non-VA settings. VA staff will also follow standard procedures for mitigating risk including placing Veterans on high risk list when clinically appropriate.

Primary outcome measure

  • Suicidal Ideation: The Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 9 months post-baseline ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Natalie Riblet, MD MPH

(802) 295-9363Natalie.Riblet@va.gov

Bradley V Watts, MD MPH

(802) 295-9363Bradley.Watts@va.gov

Locations

White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, VT

Recruiting

White River Junction, Vermont, United States, 05001-3833

Contacts

Natalie Riblet, MD MPH

(802) 295-9363Natalie.Riblet@va.gov

Principal Investigator:

Natalie Riblet, MD MPH

More Information

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Last update posted

Sep 8, 2026

Last verified

Sep, 2026

Keywords

  • Mental health education
  • Clinical trial
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Suicide, attempted
  • Self-injurious Behavior
  • Suicide
  • Suicide Prevention

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-18. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by VA Office of Research and Development on 2026-09-08.