Implementation of an Electronic Safety Plan within a Measurement Feedback System

ABSTRACT

Safety planning is a critical evidence-based intervention used to prevent suicide attempts. One novel approach to the dissemination and implementation of safety planning in community-based settings is through the use of a Measurement Feedback System (MFS) that delivers Measurement Based Care (MBC). Integration of a standardized electronic safety plan template (ESPT) into a MFS that delivers MBC allows for the integration of evidence-based suicide assessment with safety planning. Using a mixed methods approach, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation process for a developmentally sensitive ESPT for at-risk youth and their caregivers. Specifically, we examined factors that promote and hinder the adoption and effective completion of the ESPT. Thirty-six clinicians completed a pre-implementation training and used the ESPT with youth who reported suicidal thoughts or behavior, and were asked to complete a semi-structured interview around their use of the ESPT. Clinicians reported twice as many facilitators than barriers to implementation. The most common barriers included a desire for closer clinical supervision in ESPT use and lack of mastery of the MFS that housed the ESPT. The most common facilitators included the “user-friendly” structure of the ESPT, importance to clinical care, and supervisor support around use of the ESPT. Results suggest that it is feasible to implement ESPTs in community-based clinics with appropriate administrative support. Data obtained in the present study may be used to further improve clinician uptake and adoption of ESPTs.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth
• suicide
• safety planning
• implementation
• measurement-based care

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2022.2081946

Notes

¹ Assumptions of independent sample t-tests and chi-squares were met. However, as t-tests are sensitive to small sample sizes, analyses were rerun using Mann-Whitney U tests and there was no difference in results..