Suicide among veterans remains a serious public health issue, and poor social support is identified as a robust risk factor for suicide. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs uses a standard safety planning procedure for suicide prevention. While this intervention can help veterans identify social support sources, it does not directly incorporate a concerned significant other (CSO). Research suggests that veterans prefer a family member or friend to help shoulder the burden of a potential crisis. This qualitative feasibility project examined the role of CSOs in safety planning with veterans. Interviews were conducted with 29 veterans and four CSOs to investigate whether veterans wanted a CSO involved in their safety plan and to investigate associated logistical issues for implementation. Overwhelmingly, veterans (79.13%) reported that having a CSO directly involved in their safety plan would be helpful. Qualitative data are presented highlighting practical concerns for mental health providers developing safety plans with veterans.
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1 January 2019
RESEARCH|
January 01 2019
Quality Improvement Evaluation of the Feasibility and Acceptability of Adding a Concerned Significant Other to Safety Planning for Suicide Prevention With Veterans
Bryann B. DeBeer;
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Bryann B. DeBeer, VA VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Veterans Memorial Drive, 151C, Waco, TX 76711. E-mail: bryann.debeer@va.gov
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Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2019) 41 (1): 4–20.
Citation
Bryann B. DeBeer, Monica M. Matthieu, Julie A. Kittel, Linda C. Degutis, Stephanie Clafferty, Natalie Qualls, Sandra B. Morissette; Quality Improvement Evaluation of the Feasibility and Acceptability of Adding a Concerned Significant Other to Safety Planning for Suicide Prevention With Veterans. Journal of Mental Health Counseling 1 January 2019; 41 (1): 4–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.41.1.02
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