Testing the Use of VA Peer Specialists to Prevent Veteran Suicide

This study examines a novel way to prevent suicide among Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI). It will assess the efficacy of PREVAIL-VA, a 3-month intervention of 12, one-on-one sessions between a Peer Specialist (PS) and a Veteran that involve semi-structured conversations focused on hope, belongingness, support, and safety. PSs are Veterans with SMI trained to use their own experience and recovery to help other Veterans with SMI. PSs have improved mental health outcomes in other research, but this study would be the first to test their efficacy for suicide prevention in VHA. The project will compare outcomes of Veterans at risk for suicide receiving usual care, to PREVAIL-VA. This work is responsive to national calls for Veterans with SMI to receive support that is evidence-based, improves recovery (not just symptoms), and is tailored to individual needs. If successful, PREVAIL-VA could be adopted by the 1400 Peer Specialists employed in VA, greatly increasing the delivery of evidence-based services to Veterans at risk for suicide.