Identifying Strategies to Sustain Peer Support for Suicide Prevention

Peer specialist workers bring lived experience with mental health challenges, substance use, recovery, or family caregiving to support others. Peer workers are a promising but underutilized resource in suicide prevention efforts, with potential to reach hard to engage individuals, provide support during crises, promote social connectedness, and support safe transitions to care. This study explores methods to effectively leverage a peer specialist workforce in suicide prevention efforts.

Thirty semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with certified peer/recovery specialists and family peer specialists, along with their supervisors. To date, 25 interviews have been recorded, transcribed, and are undergoing qualitative thematic analysis. Participants (mean age 50.6 years) self-identified as 56% female, 44% male; 64% White, 36% Black, and 16% Hispanic/Latinx; 84% of participants have received formal credentialing. Most were recruited from Pennsylvania (76%), and the remainder from Massachusetts (24%). Interviews characterized peer support roles, identified barriers and facilitators, and elicited suggestions for how to leverage peers in future suicide prevention efforts. To analyze participant responses, the study team developed an initial codebook for qualitative thematic analysis based on a priori areas of interest, with definitions refined through an open-coding process. Dual coding of 6 transcripts (20% of sample) was applied to calculate interrater reliability using Cohen’s Kappa (0.926) and percent agreement (0.972).

Using the finalized codebook, reliable members of the study team are coding all transcripts to facilitate thematic analysis. To date, 11/25 transcripts have been coded. The team will later proceed with reflexive, thematic analysis to synthesize key takeaways. Following qualitative analysis, the team will conduct an Innovation Tournament to generate and vote on strategies to support the peer specialist workforce in suicide prevention efforts. Overall results will be used to identify, develop, and test concrete strategies to better leverage the lived experience workforce in suicide prevention.