R 311607Z AUG 12
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 489/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/MARINE RECRUITMENT TO UPCOMING SUICIDE PREVENTION RESEARCH STUDIES//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20101005/-/NOTAL//
AMPN/REF A IS 2010 DOD SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS DOCUMENT//
POC/JOAN FISCHER/CIV/UNIT:MFC5/-/TEL:703-432-9708//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT MARINES WILL BE RECRUITED TO PARTICIPATE IN TWO UPCOMING MARINE CORPS SPONSORED SUICIDE PREVENTION RESEARCH STUDIES.  THESE STUDIES WILL IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS TO SUICIDE PREVENTION POLICY AND ASSIST IN DEVELOPMENT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION TOOLS FOR LEADERS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.  PARTICIPANT SAFETY AND WELLBEING IS OF PRIMARY CONCERN. BOTH STUDIES HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY MILITARY INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW AND HUMAN RESEARCH SUBJECTS PROTECTION BOARDS.  BOTH STUDIES WILL HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON MARINE DUTY REQUIREMENTS.
2.  STUDY DETAILS.
A.  THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SUICIDOLOGY (AAS) IS CONTRACTED TO CONDUCT A TWO-YEAR STUDY ENTITLED, MARINE CORPS PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY STUDY.  IN REF A, A DOD TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS THE SERVICES LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LAST DAYS AND HOURS PRIOR TO SUICIDE.  DURING THIS STUDY, AAS WILL CONTACT THE FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND SUPERVISORS OF MARINES WHO DIED BY SUICIDE IN CALENDAR YEARS 2010 AND 2011.  FAMILY MEMBERS WILL FIRST RECEIVE A LETTER FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS SUPPORTING THE STUDY, AND THEN COMMUNICATION FROM A TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS REPRESENTATIVE INVITING PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY.  MARINES WILL BE CONTACTED BY AN AAS CONTRACTED VETERAN MARINE WHO WILL DESCRIBE THE STUDY AND INVITE PARTICIPATION.  ALL POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS WILL THEN BE CONTACTED BY AN AAS CONTRACTED AND CERTIFIED PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY INTERVIEWER REQUESTING A ONE-TWO HOUR INTERVIEW IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ASKED TO DESCRIBE THE DECEASED MARINES BEHAVIOR PRIOR TO DEATH.  INTERVIEW DATA WILL BE COMBINED WITH DATA FROM PERTINENT RECORDS, AGGREGATED, CLEANSED OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA, AND ANALYZED. RESULTS WILL IMPROVE SUICIDE PREVENTION POLICY AND SURVEILLANCE.  THE WILLINGNESS OF MARINES AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS THEIR OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE LAST HOURS AND DAYS LEADING UP TO THE SUICIDE OF A LOVED ONE OR FELLOW MARINE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY STUDY.
B.  THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (UOW) IN COORDINATION WITH MARINE CORPS AND ARMY WILL CONDUCT A TWO-YEAR SUICIDE INTERVENTION TREATMENT STUDY ENTITLED, MILITARY CONTINUITY PROJECT.  IN CALENDAR YEARS 2012 AND 2013, UOW CONTRACTED LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS (LCSW) STATIONED AT TWENTYNINE PALMS AND CAMP LEJEUNE GENERAL COUNSELING CENTERS, WILL INVITE MARINES IDENTIFIED AS AT RISK FOR SUICIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY.  PARTICIPANTS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ALL RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AND MAY ALSO RECEIVE PERIODIC TEXT MESSAGES FROM A STUDY LCSW OFFERING SUPPORT AND HIGHLIGHTING HELPING RESOURCES.  IN THE PAST, A SIMILAR STUDY SHOWED THAT SUPPORTIVE LETTERS AND PHONE CALLS CAUSED A REDUCTION IN SUICIDE RISK IN CIVILIANS.  THIS STUDY WILL UPDATE THE PREVIOUS STUDY AND LEVERAGE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO VALIDATE A CLINICAL INTERVENTION TOOL, WHICH MAY THEN BE CONVERTED INTO A TOOL FOR LEADERS.
3.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN R. F. HEDELUND, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//