Youth Most at Risk for Suicide Feel Supported by “Caring Contacts”

Patients hospitalized for suicidality are 300x more at risk of suicide in the first week after hospital discharge, and 200x more at risk over the first month, compared to the general population.

As part of its organization-wide Zero Suicide framework, Nationwide Children’s Hospital began developing a texting-based service called “Caring Contacts” in 2018 to support young people after this kind of mental health crisis.

First conceptualized decades ago for adult patients using traditional mail, Nationwide Children’s version of Caring Contacts sends supportive text messages with accompanying images meant to promote hope, inclusivity and connection. The messages were automatically sent to enrolled patients during the four-month period starting the day after patients left the hospital.

Now, Nationwide Children’s has published the first study from a pediatric health system about Caring Contacts, after more than 1,700 patients completed the program. In post-text satisfaction surveys:

• 83% of respondents reported feeling moderately to very hopeful
• 88% reported feeling moderately to very supported
• 92% reported that peers would be helped by these text messages
• 86% reported wanting to keep receiving messages in the future if given the option

“Reaching patients where they are in their day-to-day lives is crucial in supporting them before, during and after a crisis,” said  said John Ackerman, PhD, child clinical psychologist and suicide prevention clinical manager for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s. “That also means ensuring messages of hope and validation are accessible with the technology they use most – their phones.”

Learn more about Caring Contacts and Nationwide Children’s study here.

Published August 2024