Safer Storage Safer Homes An Inpatient Pediatric Lethal Means Counseling Pilot Trial

Study Summary

Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death for American youth. Strikingly, firearm suicide among adolescents is growing faster than other groups. Lethal means counseling is standard of care, however, infrequently occurs despite pediatricians recognizing the importance. Lack of time, topic discomfort, and inadequate resources for families are commonly reported barriers to counseling. By addressing these factors, we can improve counseling with the ultimate goal of increasing safe storage and reducing firearm injuries in youth. Children admitted in acute mental health crises while awaiting psychiatric hospital placement are a population at greater risk of suicide. We plan to implement a pilot intervention to offer secure storage counseling and storage device distribution to families of behavioral health patients who indicate firearm ownership on initial screening. The goal of this project is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of firearm secure storage counseling and device provision in the inpatient setting.

Primary Outcome

The proportion of eligible families who take at least 1 storage device (cable locks or lock boxes). The numerator is defined as the number of guardians who take a firearm secure storage device when offered and the denominator is defined as the number of families included in the study.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Guardians receiving counseling + lock

Study Locations (1)