Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene, Inc., a $868,015 Project Grant on June 12, 2026, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to develop and implement the SAFER (Suicide Assessment and Follow-up After Emergency Department Release) initiative. This research project, which extends through February 28, 2031, addresses the critical public health concern of suicide among children aged 8-12 years, a population experiencing increasing suicide risk despite widespread prevention efforts. The project is conducted at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York, NY, in collaboration with Columbia University and other affiliated institutions.

The primary deliverables of this project include the development and evaluation of evidence-based assessment and follow-up protocols for suicidal children discharged from emergency departments. Expected outputs encompass peer-reviewed publications documenting the intervention's effectiveness, clinical implementation guidelines, training materials for emergency department staff, and mechanistic insights into suicide risk factors among children. These research products will contribute to the broader NIMH mission of transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through rigorous basic and clinical research, with the ultimate goal of preventing suicide and supporting recovery among vulnerable pediatric populations.