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Safer Still: Promoting Firearm Safety for Youth Suicide Prevention

This study, called "Safer Still," is looking for parents or legal guardians of teenagers (ages 12-17) who are currently receiving psychiatric care at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Your child must live in a home where at least one firearm is stored unlocked, loaded, or both. The goal is to develop and test an interactive program called "Safer Still" to help families store firearms more safely, especially after a child has been discharged from psychiatric care. Some families will receive this interactive program, while others will get an educational website about suicide warning signs. Researchers will measure changes in firearm storage practices using a survey at the beginning, one month, and three months later. The study aims to help prevent suicide in at-risk youth.

Study design
This study is an interventional study planning to enroll 80 participants. Families will be randomly assigned to either the "Safer Still" interactive intervention or an educational website (Enhanced Usual Care).
What's involved
You would complete a Household Lethal Means Survey at the start of the study, and again at one month and three months.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for three months after the start of the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06558409

Safer Still (Exploratory Project 3)

Recruiting
NAAges 18–90InterventionalPrevention
Jeff Bridge
~80 participants
Updated 2025-08-08 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:" Safer Still " Interactive InterventionEnhanced Usual Care (EUC):

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Household Lethal Means Survey (HLMS)
Measured over Baseline, One month and Three months

Conditions

Suicide Prevention

Explore related trials

Suicidal behavior

NCT06558409

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 2 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Nationwide Children's Hospital

    Columbus, Ohiostudy coordinator listed

    Not yet recruiting

  • Nationwide Children's Hospital Behavioral Health Pavillion

    Columbus, Ohiostudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Jeff Bridge, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Nationwide Children's Hospital
  • Jack Stevens, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Nationwide Children's Hospital

Who to contact

Nikhitha Kakarala, MPH
[email protected]
614-722-3511
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Parent or legal guardian of an adolescent aged 12 to 17 years at time of consent
Have a child who is receiving psychiatric inpatient, crisis, or emergency treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Indicate that at least one firearm is located in or around the residence of the adolescent and is stored unlocked, loaded, or both unlocked and loaded.
Only one parent per household is permitted to participate to avoid contamination across the two study conditions.

Exclusion

Inability to speak/read English
Lack access to a digital device (smartphone, iPad, tablet computer, desktop, laptop PC).

What this trial measures

  • Household Lethal Means Survey (HLMS)Baseline, One month and Three months

    The Household Lethal Means Survey (HLMS) asks the parent to indicate whether there are any guns kept in or around the home, and if so to describe how the gun(s) and ammunition are stored. The HLMS will be supplemented with three questions from the 2018 California Safety and Well-Being Survey. These three questions address reasons for firearm ownership, loaded handgun carrying in the past 30 days, and high-capacity magazine ownership. At follow-up, the study survey assesses whether and how firearm ownership and storage practices changed since baseline. Similar questions at baseline and follow-up are asked about lethal medications.