# Technology-Assisted Systems Change for Suicide Prevention (TASCS)

> **NIH NIH R34** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2020 · $727,201

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
SIGNIFICANCE: Our research team has published strong evidence supporting the efficacy and cost-
effectiveness of the Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE)
intervention, a brief suicide-specific intervention that begins in the emergency department (ED) and continues
after the ED visit through telephone coaching. However, until we address barriers preventing ready adoption of
ED-SAFE and other suicide interventions into routine clinical practice, they will remain “on the shelf,” and suicides
that otherwise could have been prevented will continue to occur. This R34 will directly address translation barriers
through developing the Technology-Assisted Systems Change for Suicide Prevention (TASCS).
INVESTIGATORS: The team has extensive expertise in ED-based suicide screening and assessment (Larkin,
Boudreaux), user-centered technology development (Tulu, Djamasbi), tele-behavioral health (Boudreaux, Tulu),
electronic health record integration (Tulu), and health economics (Clements). Longitudinal stakeholder
engagement will ensure TASCS is grounded in realities of the ED, with patient, clinician, and payer perspectives.
INNOVATION: The TASCS will be the first health information technology designed to enable flexible delivery of
the ED-SAFE intervention components with strong fidelity and with responsiveness to the conditions and barriers
present in most EDs. This will include an integrated approach to delivering components usually completed during
the ED visit, such as personalized safety planning, as well as those completed after the visit, such as coaching
to foster mental health treatment engagement. This R34 addresses both patient and implementation outcomes.
APPROACH: Aim 1 will use persona development, an innovative human computer interaction approach, to
ensure the TASCS is intimately informed by end users. Aim 2 will optimize the TASCS in a small field test in the
ED. Aim 3, modeled after a Hybrid Type 2 effectiveness-implementation design, will gather data on usability,
acceptability, and implementation of the TASCS ED App using a randomized experiment (n=45) of three
modalities: (1) On site (n=15), (2) Telehealth (n=15), and (3) Self-administered (n=15). For 3 months post-
discharge, all participants will receive coaching calls, facilitated by the Post-ED Clinician App, and will have
access to the Post-ED Patient and Family App. The intervention is intended to decrease suicidal ideation and
behavior by improving perceived social support, increasing behavioral activation, and improving suicide-related
impulse control.
ENVIRONMENT: UMass and WPI have demonstrated their capability to support this study through the ED-SAFE
trial and other highly successful technology development and testing studies funded through NIH and NSF.
IMPACT: Building a comprehensive suite of integrated enabling technologies to address ED-SAFE translation
barriers will not only improve ED-SAFE intervention adoption, it will provi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10041195
- **Project number:** 1R34MH123578-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Celine Larkin
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $727,201
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10041195

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10041195, Technology-Assisted Systems Change for Suicide Prevention (TASCS) (1R34MH123578-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10041195. Licensed CC0.

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