Improving Screening and Follow Up for Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Among Latinx Youth in Primary Care

NCT06229223 | Completed DMC

• 2 other identifiers: IRB00378575R34MH129771
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 76
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objective of this proposal is to develop and pilot a systems-level strategy in pediatric primary care to enhance identification and management of suicidal ideation and behavior in Latinx youth, particularly those in immigrant families with parents who have limited English proficiency (LEP). The investigators will focus on the use of trained community health workers (CHWs) to increase clinic capacity and quality of suicide risk screening and early intervention, with a focus on safety planning, parent psychoeducation and care coordination. Specific aims are 1: To develop site-specific implementation protocols for the integration of CHWs into SIB screening and safety planning for Latinx youth and the youths families; 2: To pilot the implementation of the program in a six-month open trial in four pediatric primary care practices representing a range of usual practice settings; and 3: To engage a stakeholder network to explore barriers and facilitators, including costs and billing strategies, to implementation of this approach across a broad range of pediatric primary care settings. Parents/guardians of youth who have been referred to and agree to participate in the intervention by the child's primary care provider will participate in a 2-month program consisting of 6-8 phone sessions with a community health worker focusing on safety planning, information/education, program solving and self-care. Research participants will be asked to complete a survey via phone at the beginning of the program and another at the end of the program. The participants may also be asked to participate in an additional interview about the study.

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Percent of Participants Screened

  Percent of patients 10-18 years old screened for depression and suicidal ideation and behavior at clinic level

  Monthly for 9 months

• Feasibility as assessed by percent of sessions completed

  Percent of eligible patients receiving a CHW session

  Monthly for 9 months

• Quality as assessed by percent of CHW visits

  Percent of CHW visits that include delivery of one or more intervention components

  Monthly for 9 months

• Engagement as assessed by number of follow-up visits

  number of follow-up mental health visits with PCP or specialty provider among youth identified as having suicidal ideation or behavior.

  Monthly for 9 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Family Functioning as assessed by the SCORE-15 Index of Family Functioning and Change (SCORE-15)

  Baseline and 3 months

• Parent Self Efficacy as assessed by Brief Parenting Self Efficacy Scale (BPSES) Questionnaire

  Baseline and 3 months

• Depression as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire - Adolescent (PHQ-A)

  Baseline and 3 months

• Suicidal Ideation and Behavior as assessed by the Ask Suicide-Screening Questionnaire (ASQ)

  Baseline and 3 months

• Parental Self-Efficacy to Support Teens During a Suicidal Crisis survey

  Baseline and 3 months

Study Arms (1)

PALOMA

EXPERIMENTAL

Parents/guardians of youth who have been referred to and agree to participate in the intervention by the child's primary care provider will participate in a 2-month program consisting of 5-7 phone sessions with a community health worker focusing on safety planning, information/education, program solving and self-care. Research participants will be asked to complete a survey via phone at the beginning of the program and another at the end of the program. The participants may also be asked to participate in an additional interview about the participants experience during the study.

Behavioral: PALOMA

Interventions

PALOMA BEHAVIORAL

Partnering with Parents of Adolescent Latinos on Mental Health Assistance

PALOMA

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Youth has history of suicidal ideation/behavior or non-suicidal self-harm and
• Youth identifies as Latino/Latinx/Hispanic/Latin American and
• Guardian(s) speaks Spanish

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Johns Hopkins University: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

BMS at Yard 56

Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Sarah Polk, MD

  Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 19, 2024
• First Posted: January 29, 2024
• Study Start: March 26, 2024
• Primary Completion: January 6, 2026
• Study Completion: January 6, 2026
• Last Updated: April 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)