Suicide Prevention Research Impact NeTwork (SPRINT)

Background and Significance: Suicide prevention is VA’s number one clinical priority. SPRINT’s updated mission is to serve as a national resource that accelerates VA suicide prevention (SP) research to improve care and prevent Veteran suicide. Priority goals are to 1) support VA as a Learning Health System (LHS) by collecting, organizing, and disseminating up-to-date information about active research and operations SP projects, state of the evidence, sources of data, and partner priorities to facilitate synergies and reduce duplications of effort; 2) serve as a collaborative network of VHA and non-VHA researchers and partners dedicated to advancing high-quality, high-impact SP research, and to support professional development and retention of SP researchers; 3) collaborate with VA Office of Research and Development (ORD), partners, SP researchers, and Veteran and other stakeholders to promote a focused SP research agenda; 4) collaborate with ORD and partners to facilitate innovative research that addresses high priority areas; and 5) develop common data infrastructure and leverage shared knowledge and data to facilitate translation and implementation of findings into policy and practice. Priority Goal Impacts over five years include 1) an enhanced research portfolio targeting high priority SP research topics; 2) detailed reports, analyses, and guidance to stakeholders that shape research and operations projects, program prioritization, and agenda- setting; 3) an increase (target >25%) in the proportion of ORD-funded SP projects; 4) new SP “research best practice” materials and tools including recommended core items/measures to facilitate data sharing among researchers and operations; and 5) recommendations for specific initiatives and/or changes to national or regional VA SP policy or practice. Strategic Plan: SPRINT is comprised of seven hubs (see below) and eight workgroups. SPRINT will curate three specific high-priority research initiatives (lethal means safety; community engagement; precision medicine); conduct translational review and portfolio analyses to identify research and operations projects poised for next steps in research or operations-funded activities; track and report on impacts of SP research and operations projects on Veterans and their care; collaborate with partners to develop shared datasets to address SP research and quality improvement needs; provide rapid responses to requests for consultation from stakeholders; and support new research and professional development of SP researchers through SPRINT’s Planning Award program and Early Career Initiative. Innovation: SPRINT will function as a national network of knowledge management and translation using a LHS framework. The three research initiatives will support development of team science research projects that address critical gaps in the evidence. Backed by the diverse expertise of the SPRINT leadership team, through Planning Awards and other support, SPRINT is poised to contribute to methodological advances in implementation, systems, engagement, and data science as well as precision medicine. Our approach to translational review will also further LHS goals. Coordination, Collaboration, and Partnerships: SPRINT will continue to 1) coordinate strategic planning efforts with its primary partner, VA’s Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP); 2) work closely with the ORD Suicide Prevention Actively Managed Portfolio (SP-AMP); and 3) collaborate with 15 additional partners including national VA centers, the Department of Defense (DoD), and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Management Plan: Dr. Dobscha (Portland) is SPRINT Corresponding PI and Liaison to HSR and leads the Communications and Priorities Hub. Dr. Marx (Boston) is Corresponding PI and Liaison to the Brain Behavior and Mental Health portfolio and leads the Data Access and Curation Hub. They are joined by 5 additional MPIs who each lead a SPRINT hub (Dr. Goodman, Bronx, Methods, and Clinical Trials; Dr. Owen, Little Rock, Community Engagement; Dr. Ilgen, Ann Arbor, Measurement and Tools Development; Dr. Interian, New Jersey, Education and Professional Development; and Dr. Kimbrel, Durham, Precision Medicine).