(PS6-D77) U.S. Veteran Suicide Safety Plan Recall, Usage, and Interest in Peer Specialists’ Help

Suicide safety planning involves identifying personal warning signs and coping skills with a trained provider. Data are scant in terms of safety planning recall and use. Moreover, Peer Specialists who provide support to those with mental illness may be in a unique role to enhance safety planning given their shared lived experience and ability to improve well-being. In two U.S. Veteran samples (N=123) with current or lifetime suicidal thoughts or behaviors (all of whom recently created a safety plan), we aimed to examine the frequency of safety plan recall and usage as well as gauge interest in a program where Veterans can connect with a Peer Specialist to make their safety plan more helpful. A total of 44.7% (n=55) of Veterans “kind of” or did not remember their safety plan. Additionally, 35.8% (n=44) of Veterans had not reviewed their safety plan and 17.9% (n=22) reviewed their plan but did not find it helpful. Overall, 81.3% (n=100) of Veterans were interested in a program where they could meet with a peer to make their safety plan more helpful. In one sample, the older the Veteran the statistically more likely they were to be interested in working with a peer on their safety plan. There were no other significant differences in demographics, diagnoses, or measures of current suicidal ideation severity or social wellbeing among interest level. A program delivered by peers to enhance safety planning with a focus on recalling and using one’s safety plan may be needed and is of interest to Veterans who have recently created a safety plan. The development of this program may be a crucial next step for cultivating joy in the Veteran community be enhancing the suicide prevention standards of care.