# The development of a family navigator intervention and prevention protocol to reduce risk of suicide and self-injurious behavior for youth aged 10 to 14 years.

> **NIH NIH P20** · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · 2024 · $135,093

## Abstract

Pandemic-period changes have been observed in recent rates for youth aged 10 to 14 on suicidal and 
non-suicidal self-injurious behavior (hereinafter referred to as SSIB), where they are now presenting with 
SSIB at rapidly increasing rates. This unique group of youth is of great interest, because SSIB prevention 
protocols are needed to reduce SSIB risk as well as decrease prevalence rates. Pediatric emergency 
departments (EDs) have become an essential and often routine mental health service for youth. EDs are 
optimal sites to initiate youth SSIB prevention protocol, as they are often the first point of entry for youth 
into the mental health system. Despite high rates of youth seen in the ED for SSIB, effective ED 
interventions to reduce SSIB risk and increase attendance and adherence to subsequent 
community-based mental health care are lacking. The purpose of this pilot study is to develop and pilot a 
Family Navigator (FN) with technology-enhanced information sharing via texting intervention for families 
with youth who were discharged from the ED after an admission for SSIB. This intervention aims to 
reduce SSIB risk and prevalence rates, as well as increase engagement in community-based mental 
health services for youth aged 10 to 14. This intervention is informed by the literature, evidence-based 
hospital intervention protocols, a family-based approach for youth development stages, and developed to 
directly target three mechanisms. This study will develop a brief FN modeling enhanced with 
technology-delivered information shared (automated sharing of information with families via text). Thus, 
qualitative methods will be employed to assist in the refinement of the intervention, thus maximizing 
ecological validity. At the outcome of this study, FN acceptability and feasibility as well as manual 
development will be completed. Balanced randomization will occur to either the treatment as usual (TAU) 
condition or the Family Navigator (FN) with information sharing condition. Primary outcomes, measured 
at 4- and 6-month follow-ups, include reduce SSIB risk and prevalence rates, increased attendance and 
adherence to youth community-based mental health care, and the engagement of the purported 
therapeutic mechanisms. This pilot study will set the stage for a NIMH R01 application via a Type I Hybrid 
Effectiveness-Implementation trial to speed translation of research findings to practice.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10986070
- **Project number:** 5P20GM139664-03
- **Recipient organization:** RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Kathryn Melonio Cancilliere
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $135,093
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-04-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10986070

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10986070, The development of a family navigator intervention and prevention protocol to reduce risk of suicide and self-injurious behavior for youth aged 10 to 14 years. (5P20GM139664-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10986070. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*