# Partnered Implementation Evaluation of a National Sponsorship Program for Transitioning Service Members > **NIH VA I50** · JAMES J PETERS VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · — ## Abstract Problem in VA Proposal is Addressing. The United States is currently experiencing a national epidemic of suicide for its youngest Service Members (SMs) still serving in the Department of Defense (DOD, 2019) and those that have already transitioned out of the military. For example, the rate of suicide for Veterans aged 18- 34 years old having more than doubled from approximately 22 suicide deaths per 100,000 in 2006 to 45 per 100,000 in 2016 (VA, 2018; VA 2019). It appears that a period of significant risk for these young Veterans is during their first year after separating from the military with recent estimates suggesting an increase of nearly 50% during this period (Kang et al., 2015; Shen, Cunha, & Williams, 2016). As a result of the troubling trends, two executive orders have been issued within the last two years calling for federal organizations to work closer with local, nonprofit and academia organizations to implement a public health approach to suicide prevention. Preventing suicide remains a top priority for the VA with similar sentiments of a public health perspective to suicide prevention being recently published National Strategy for Preventing Suicide (VA, 2018). In this strategy, the VA acknowledged that it must reach out to Servicemembers (SMs) and Veterans in the community before they experience an acute crisis (VA, 2018). Similarly, VISN 17 made a significant commitment to the Expiration Term of Service (ETS) Sponsorship program in order to engage SMs prior to them exiting the military. Preliminary analysis was conducted for a recent randomized control trial with post- 9/11 Veterans in New York City that received the support from ETS Sponsors with the results showing a moderate treatment effect for both reduced transition stressors and improved social support (Geraci, 2018). Aims. We propose a Hybrid Type 2 effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate the expansion of ETS Sponsorship across six cities from FY 2020 to 2023 in Texas. Aim #1 will determine the effectiveness of the ETS sponsorship program, as evidenced by measures of transition stressors, social support, psychological distress, suicidal ideation and behaviors, and VA/non-VA service utilization. Aim #2 will determine the feasibility and potential utility of implementing the ETS Sponsorship program to six cities in Texas. SMs that transition to cities without an established ETS Sponsorship program will experience their transition from military to civilian life as usual (i.e., services available from the U.S. Army Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program). After cities have implemented the ETS Sponsorship program, transitioning SMs will have access to an ETS Sponsor in their city and warm handoffs to community services. Methods. We will use a stepped wedge design while using other cities as controls until they begin implementation. This design will allow us to extend implementation support to the maximal number of cities and enhance the formative evaluation (pe... ## Key facts - **NIH application ID:** 10189418 - **Project number:** 1I50HX003258-01A1 - **Recipient organization:** JAMES J PETERS VA MEDICAL CENTER - **Principal Investigator:** Joseph C. Geraci - **Activity code:** I50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.) - **Funding institute:** VA - **Fiscal year:** 2021 - **Award amount:** — - **Award type:** 1 - **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2024-09-30 ## Primary source NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10189418 ## Citation > US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10189418, Partnered Implementation Evaluation of a National Sponsorship Program for Transitioning Service Members (1I50HX003258-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10189418. Licensed CC0. --- *[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*