Aim and background: To adapt the existing, adult-based, Systematic Tailored Assessment for Responding to Suicidality protocol (STARS-p) for use with young people and to create an associated competency-based STARS-Yp training for mental health practitioners (MHPs). This Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) study represents the first attempt to co-design a psychosocial needs-based assessment digital protocol with associated safety planning/management. Insights and expertise from young people and their carers/parents and MHPS on the most appropriate questions to ask for safely and effectively understanding suicidality and commensurate needs for safety will be gathered. Lived experience representatives (Roses in the Ocean) as well as multiple Headspace Centres and two State-based children’s hospitals from Victoria and Queensland are involved in this co-design study.
Method and Design: A 4-component parallel design, mixed-methods approach with overarching iterative co-design process was used to develop, evaluate, and plan for dissemination of digital STARS-Yp and associated training. Each component includes qualitative and/or mixed-methods data collection with young people, carers/parents, MHPs, experts in youth suicide research, and expert clinicians.
Component 1 concerns the co-design, testing and refining of the adult STARS-p for use with young people; Component 2 focuses on adaptation, delivery and evaluation of STARS-Yp online training for MHPs from Headspace centres and children hospitals across Victoria and Queensland; Component 3 is a mixed-methods evaluation of the real-world utility of the final STARS-Yp; and Component 4 includes co-creation of an action plan for translation and dissemination of the STARS-Yp and establishment of a young person consumer network to supporting ongoing evaluation of the STARS-Yp across Australia. Findings from Component 1 of the 4-component design will be presented.
Results: Qualitative findings from focus groups and interviews with young people, carers/parents, MHPs and experts in youth suicide will be presented including specific modifications across the main protocol sections of the STARS-p interview (e.g. changes to language, terminology and domains of enquiry specific to youth audience). The final digital STARS-Yp (allowing administration using tablets and laptop devices) and training will be presented including application/administration processes and associated web-based record keeping system, privacy and security features and implementation elements for community versus hospital-based settings.
Implications: In line with the conference theme, this study includes outcomes based on industry, consumer, and researcher collaboration, leading to important future youth suicide prevention efforts. Results have important implications for workforce responses to engaging and assessing as well as supporting young people experiencing suicidal distress and future co-design processes.