Home-Based Mental Health Evaluation (HOME)

Home-Based Mental Health Evaluation (HOME): A Multi-Site Trial

The purpose of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of the Home-Based Mental Health Evaluation (HOME) program, which is an innovative and culturally-relevant suicide prevention intervention for Veterans aimed at increasing treatment engagement and decreasing suicide risk following psychiatric hospitalization, a period of heightened suicide risk.

The purpose of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of the Home-Based Mental Health Evaluation (HOME) program, which is an innovative and culturally-relevant suicide prevention intervention for Veterans aimed at increasing treatment engagement and decreasing suicide risk following psychiatric hospitalization, a period of heightened suicide risk. The research project employs a multi-site two-arm interventional trial design to study the effectiveness of the HOME program. Effectiveness of the treatment will be evaluated by comparing Veterans receiving the HOME program at two active treatment sites, Denver and Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), to with those receiving care at two control sites, Houston and Portland VAMCs. The current protocol describes procedures as they will occur at all sites, including those completed locally at the Denver VAMC, which is the lead site for the study.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between 18-89
2. Able to provide a phone number and the location of a residence at which they can be reached
3. Planned location of discharge is a safe environment for the HOME provider to visit*
4. Agree to receive the HOME program intervention (active site participants only)
5. Ability to adequately respond to questions regarding the informed consent procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Receiving services from the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) or Domiciliary program or being directly transferred to further inpatient or residential treatment
2. Enrolled in other intervention studies that may affect the outcome of this study, or where this study may affect the outcome of the other study, until the subject has completed their participation in the other study
3. Current involvement in the criminal justice system as a prisoner or ward of the state.