An Academic-Community Partnership in Leading and Disseminating Suicide Prevention-Focused Intervention Research

Associate Professor Bornheimer collaborated with Washtenaw County Community Mental Health to host six research dissemination events in the fall of 2023, with over 450 attendees. The events involved information sharing and hopeful art project activities to raise suicide awareness, foster dialogue, and promote community as part of a MICHR Promoting Academic and Community Engagement (PACE) Dissemination grant Bornheimer was awarded.

This approach involves progressive innovation, in which the impact of activities addresses current issues in the present moment. Bornheimer intended for dissemination events to provide tangible resources and raise hope in real time for attendees.

The collaborative design and implementation of community events were an innovative approach to disseminating research findings within a community context, especially given research findings are most often disseminated in scholarly journals and conferences. Suicide is among the leading causes of death for adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and the team modified and is testing one of the first cognitive-behavioral treatments to prevent suicide with tailoring for psychosis in a current NIMH-funded R34 study. A multifaceted approach to suicide prevention that includes academic-community partnerships is essential to conduct research, expand public awareness and education, promote community resources, and ultimately prevent suicide.

After the dissemination events' success, MICHR awarded additional funding for Fall 2024 events. In addition, our partnership will continue testing and implementing the suicide prevention-focused intervention within my NIMH R34 study and a future R01 application.