Feasibility of Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality–Brief Intervention in an Emergency Department With Youth Who Are Suicidal

BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) are key entry points for many youth experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors into mental health care. ED clinicians play a critical role in crisis intervention, prevention, and linking patients to ongoing care, yet many report uncertainty when assessing for and managing suicidal risk. The Collaborative Assessment and Management of suicidal thoughts and behaviors [Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)] is an evidence-based, suicide-focused intervention that has been adapted into a single session [CAMS-Brief Intervention (CAMS-BI)]. OBJECTIVE: This study tested the use of CAMS-BI with youth who are suicidal and presenting to a pediatric ED. METHODS: Participants (aged 12 to 21 y; n = 20) were approached in the ED and completed distress measures before and after CAMS-BI. Following standard discharge timelines was prioritized. RESULTS: Analyses supported CAMS-BI's feasibility for ED youth populations, given the observed low rate of intervention refusal (8.7%) and high completion rate (87%). Participation in the study did not delay ED discharge times. Youth receiving CAMS-BI reported significantly lower distress postintervention, d = 0.45. Three-month follow-up indicated reductions in ED-return rates (0%) compared with youth who did not receive the intervention (15%), and strong patient engagement with outpatient treatment following CAMS-BI was notable (88% attended follow-up appointment). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study provides evidence for CAMS-BI's feasibility for youth in fast-paced ED settings and its clinical value to quickly decrease distress. Future directions include larger, more rigorous replications to fine-tune CAMS-BI implementation into ED workflows.