• Tim Hoyt, Diana Repke, David Barry, Margaret Baisley, Shellie Jervis, Ryan Black, Sarah McCreight, Daniel Prendergast, Chauncy Brinton, and Rohul Amin.
• Connected Health Branch, Defense Health Agency, 9933 West Hayes Street, Box 339500 MS 34, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98433.
• Mil Med. 2020 Jan 7; 185 (Suppl 1): 334-341.

IntroductionDespite efforts in prevention, suicide rates in the US military remain unchanged. This article describes the development of a tool for leaders to identify and mitigate suicide risk factors.MethodsA seven-item measure, the Leader Suicide Risk Assessment Tool (LSRAT), was constructed to allow leaders to assess and mitigate suicide drivers. During a 6-mo pilot, unit leaders completed the LSRAT for 161 at-risk soldiers. The LSRAT data were compared to clinical data from a subset of these soldiers.ResultsThe LSRAT showed good test-retest reliability. The LSRAT scores showed significant correlations with both clinical and screening measures of suicidality. Command actions mitigated or partially mitigated 89% of risk factors identified on the LSRAT.ConclusionsThis study provides initial psychometric data on a tool that prescribes concrete responses to mitigate risk. The LSRAT may be a valid and feasible tool to assist front-line commanders in identifying potential area's risk mitigation. Synchronization efforts between commanders, clinicians, and support services are crucial to ensure effective intervention to prevent suicide behavior.© Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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