Pilot Studies to Detect and Prevent Suicide Behavior, Ideation and Self-Harm in Youth in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System (R34 Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 18 228

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 228

The NIH funding opportunity PAR 18-228, titled "Pilot Studies to Detect and Prevent Suicide Behavior, Ideation and Self-Harm in Youth in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System (R34 Clinical Trial Required)," supports early-stage, pilot clinical trial research focused on reducing suicide-related outcomes among young people who interact with the juvenile justice system. The core idea is to test the effectiveness of approaches that do two things together: (1) improve detection of suicide risk, suicidal thoughts, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and (2) deliver practical interventions aimed at preventing escalation to self-harm or suicide behavior. Rather than funding large definitive trials, this R34 mechanism is geared toward pilot testing and building a solid evidence base and implementation pathway for larger follow-on studies.

A key feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on real-world juvenile justice touchpoints where prevention can realistically happen. The FOA highlights that risk detection and prevention opportunities begin very early, including first contacts such as police interactions or intake interviews, and continue across multiple settings and decision points like pre-trial detention, juvenile or family court proceedings, court disposition, placement decisions, and ongoing care in residential facilities or community supervision and service settings. In practice, this means applicants are encouraged to design strategies that can be embedded throughout the youth justice pathway, including moments that are often chaotic or time-pressured, where staff need usable tools and clear workflows.

The FOA also pushes applicants to focus on interventions that are feasible in typical service environments using commonly available staff, resources, and infrastructure. In other words, the goal is not to create an idealized program that only works with highly specialized clinicians or exceptional funding. Instead, NIH is looking for combined detection-and-intervention strategies that juvenile justice agencies, courts, detention centers, and community programs could realistically deliver through existing personnel and routine operations. This implementation-oriented focus is meant to increase the chances that strategies proven effective in the pilot phase can be adopted more widely across diverse jurisdictions and settings, ultimately reducing suicide and self-harm risk in this high-vulnerability population.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program within the NIH health research portfolio (CFDA 93.242). The funding instrument is a grant, and the award ceiling listed is $225,000. The opportunity record indicates an original closing date of 2021-01-07, and a creation date of 2017-11-17, which is helpful for understanding the timeframe of the announcement and that applicants should verify current status and any reissued or updated versions if they are planning a submission now.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized.

At the same time, the FOA places clear limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. In addition, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed under this opportunity. Practically, that means the applicant organization and the work supported by the award must remain domestic in scope and structure under NIH policy for this FOA.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at generating actionable, scalable evidence on how to identify suicide risk and deliver prevention support for justice-involved youth across the points in the system where youth are assessed, detained, adjudicated, placed, and supervised. The strongest-fit projects are likely to be those that pair a workable detection approach (such as structured screening and risk triage processes) with an intervention that can be delivered with routine staffing and resources, while also paying attention to implementation in the messy realities of juvenile justice settings.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot Studies to Detect and Prevent Suicide Behavior, Ideation and Self-Harm in Youth in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System (R34 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 18 228

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