The project has been designed to provide research support to CMHA Hamilton in developing a comprehensive evaluation tool for their Means Safety training program entitled, the Dynamic Model of Evaluation for Suicide Prevention Programs (DME-SPP). The CMHA Hamilton Means Safety training program was developed under the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s (MHCC) Roots of Hope project, in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Council of Hamilton (SPCCH). The purpose of the DME-SPP is to ensure that the program’s iterative process and development over time is based on rigorous, high-quality research evaluation procedures. 

Informed by a systematic review of existing intervention-based research and program evaluation in suicide prevention, the project will answer the following three research questions, 1) To what extent is means safety integrated in current intervention-based research? 2) What are the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of suicide prevention training as an accessible resource at the local-community level? 3) What is the effectiveness of suicide prevention training for learners at different levels of knowledge and exposure to suicide ideation (e.g. lived experience vs first responder)? 

Findings from the systematic review will be used to inform the development of the DME-SPP that will outline methodological procedures and focal measures for conducting the evaluation. The DME-SPP will serve as a “how to” guide for conducting both qualitative and quantitative evaluation procedures based on research methods typically employed in social psychological research.  

Project & Research Team 

CMHA Hamilton 

Sue Phipps (CEO) 

Peter Bloemendal (Director of Clinical Services) 

Allie Myers (Mental Health Promotion Facilitator)  

 

McMaster University 

Aleda Wedekind (Graduate Student Intern) 

Dr. Diana Singh (Executive Director, ARMS) 

Dr. Marisa Young (Academic Director, ARMS; Associate Professor) 

Leora Sas van der Linden (Program Manager, CRP)