Family Safety Net: Developing an Upstream Suicide Prevention Approach to Encourage Safe Firearm Storage in Rural and Remote

Detailed Summary

Our parallel group clinical trial of the Family Safety Net (FSN) intervention addresses two main questions: * Is the Family Safety Net (FSN) intervention feasible and acceptable in two formats: motivational interviewing (FSN MI) counseling session and scripted psychoeducational session (FSN Scripted), with a primarily Alaska Native population in Northwest Alaska? * Secondarily, are there signals of efficacy at improving home safety (firearms unloaded, locked with ammunition separate) and dangerous medication locked? All participants will complete a baseline survey with firearm storage questions as well as 3 questions about mental health concerns in their family (e.g. 'Are you worried that someone in your home is at risk of suicide?'). * If participants answer "yes" to any of the following family-focused mental health questions, they will be randomly assigned to one of the two FSN intervention groups (1 and 2 below): 1. In the past two months, has anyone in your household been going through a rough time? 2. In the past two months, has someone in your home seemed down, sad, or depressed? 3. Are you worried that someone in your home is at risk of suicide? * If they do not endorse any of the three family-focused mental health questions, they will be randomly assigned to one of two general firearm safety conditions (3 and 4 below). 1. FSN MI group will participate in a 15-20-minute motivational interviewing (MI) session conducted by trained research staff focused on suicide lethal means reduction. 2. FSN Scripted group will participate in a 10-minute scripted session focused on suicide lethal means reduction. Both FSN groups (1 and 2): * Can take home trigger locks, cable locks, ammo boxes, medication boxes and mental health resources * Receive 4 weeks of tailored text message reminders and encouragement. * Complete 1-month follow-up survey consisting of items related to firearm storage, and facilitating factors hypothesized to contribute to this behavior. * Participants in both FSN conditions will be invited to participate in a semi-structured interview at follow-up focused on satisfaction and perceptions of the program. 3 General gun safety intervention group will participate in a 10-minute scripted conversation about safe gun storage practice, and: * Can take home trigger locks, cable locks, and ammo boxes. * Receive 4 weeks of tailored text message reminders and encouragement. * Complete 1-month follow-up survey consisting of items related to firearm storage, and facilitating factors hypothesized to contribute to this behavior. 4\. General gun safety comparison group: * Can take home trigger locks, cable locks, and ammo boxes. * Complete 1-month follow-up survey.

Study Details

Timeline

Interventions