The Use of Voice-Based AI in 988 Crisis Counseling

NCT06299384 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: R44MH133517
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Effective training requires repeated opportunities for skills practice with performance-based feedback, which is challenging to provide at scale. This research study focuses on developing an AI-based, coding and feedback tool ("LyssnCrisis") for implementation in a nationally utilized crisis call center, training counselors (call-takers) in suicide risk assessment skills, and evaluating LyssnCrisis to improve services and client outcomes. This research study's goal is to maximize the human capacity of call-takers to help assess their callers for risk of suicidality, and thus, a core aspect of the current research is developing a novel training process that supports human call-taker capacities.

Conditions

Suicide; Suicide and Self-harm

Keywords

Crisis Counseling; 988; Artificial Intelligence; AI

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Post-Call Survey

  9 item survey utilizing LifeLine crisis call questions that measures changes in distress, perceived helpfulness, and call-taker relationship at the conclusion of a crisis call. The survey is completed by callers to ProtoCall's 988 crisis line, facilitated by the call-taker. .

  Through study completion, an average of 22 weeks.

• Call-taker crisis counseling fidelity

  Crisis counseling fidelity will be assessed by AI-generated scores for every recorded call, which will be analyzed via Lyssn during both SAU and LyssnCrisis phases of the study. Key fidelity metrics will include empathy, use of active listening skills, and whether the counselor asked any of the 7 key risk assessment questions (e.g., ideation, plan, past attempts).

  Through study completion, an average of 22 weeks.

• System Usability Scale (SUS)

  10 item survey that is a general measure of technology usability \[ Rated from 1-5, 1= strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree\]

  Through study completion, an average of 22 weeks.

• Acceptability of Intervention Measure; AIM

  The Acceptability of Intervention (AIM) to measure target core implementation outcomes and assess if crisis tool is acceptable, appropriate, or feasible for its stated goals. A brief, 4-item measure of a mental health professional's perception of how acceptable an innovation would be for use in their context. Each statement about the acceptability of the innovation is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale ranging from "completely disagree" to "completely agree," where higher scores indicate higher levels of acceptability.

  For Pilot: at end of 2 week LyssnCrisis period; for RCT, at end of 12-week LyssnCrisis period.

• Intervention Appropriateness Measure; IAM

  The Intervention Appropriateness (IAM) to measure target core implementation outcomes and assess if crisis tool is acceptable, appropriate, or feasible for its stated goals. A brief, 4-item measure of a mental health professional's perception of how appropriate an innovation would be for use in their context. Each statement about the appropriateness of the innovation is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale ranging from "completely disagree" to "completely agree," where higher scores indicate higher levels of appropriateness.

  Through study completion, an average of 22 weeks.For Pilot: at end of 2 week LyssnCrisis period; for RCT, at end of 12-week LyssnCrisis period.

• Feasibility of Intervention Measure; FIM

  The Feasibility of Intervention (FIM) to measure target core implementation outcomes and assess if crisis tool is acceptable, appropriate, or feasible for its stated goals. A brief, 4-item measure of a mental health professional's perception of how feasible an innovation would be for use in their context. Each statement about the feasibility of the innovation is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale ranging from "completely disagree" to "completely agree," where higher scores indicate higher levels of feasibility.

  For Pilot: at end of 2 week LyssnCrisis period; for RCT, at end of 12-week LyssnCrisis period.

Study Arms (2)

Lyssn Crisis

EXPERIMENTAL

To compare LyssnCrisis to SAU, researchers will use a standard randomized design in which call-takers will have services-as-usual (SAU) and LyssnCrisis phases. All call-takers will start with a 4-week baseline period of SAU where LyssnCrisis is operating in the background, but does not provide AI feedback on suicide risk assessment. Lyssn team members will on-board and train the participating call-takers on the Lyssn software (i.e., reviewing calls, sharing and accessing calls for supervision), using a similar method used in the pilot field trial. After a 4-week baseline phase, call-takers will be randomly assigned to continue SAU or begin feedback with LyssnCrisis (LC) for 12 weeks. LC arm participants will have access to LyssnCrisis feedback tools for the duration of the 12 week period and will receive onboarding support for LyssnCrisis fidelity feedback tools.

Other: LyssnCrisis

Services As Usual

NO INTERVENTION

To compare LyssnCrisis to SAU, researchers will use a standard randomized design in which call-takers will have services-as-usual (SAU) and LyssnCrisis phases. All call-takers will start with a 4-week baseline period of SAU where LyssnCrisis is operating in the background, but does not provide AI feedback on suicide risk assessment. Lyssn team members will on-board and train the participating call-takers on the Lyssn software (i.e., reviewing calls, sharing and accessing calls for supervision), using a similar method used in the pilot field trial. After a 4-week baseline phase, call-takers will be randomly assigned to continue SAU or begin feedback with LyssnCrisis (LC) for 12 weeks. Participants in the SAU arm will continue services-as-usual for an additional 12-week period,where participants receive ProtoCall's regular supervision and feedback. Following this period (16 total weeks of SAU), SAU arm participants will receive LyssnCrisis for 12 weeks.

Interventions

LyssnCrisis OTHER

LyssnCrisis is an AI-based coding and feedback tool for implementation in crisis counseling settings, training counselors (call-takers) in suicide risk assessment skills.

Lyssn Crisis

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Must be employed at Protocall Services, Inc.

You may not qualify if:

• Call-takers who participated in Stage 2 research will not be able to participate in Stage 3 research.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Lyssn.io, Inc.: lead
• ProtoCall Services, Inc.: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

ProtoCall Services, Inc.

Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• David C Atkins, PhD

  Lyssn.io, Inc.

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Roisin Slevin, BS

CONTACT

4084310596; roisin@lyssn.io

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Chief Executive Officer/ Research Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 14, 2024
• First Posted: March 7, 2024
• Study Start: April 2, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: November 12, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)