Army LMS Toolkit Key Personnel Baseline and Follow-up Interviews

Assessing the Implementation and Effectiveness of DOD’s Lethal Means Safety (LMS) Outreach Materials

#39085041.0

IRB Approved at the Study Level

Dec 18, 2023

OMB Control Number: 0704-ALAR

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Tab C: Army LMS Toolkit Key Personnel Baseline and Follow-up Interview Guide

Key Army Personnel Role and Experience

1. Are you familiar with Lethal Means Safety (LMS)? If so, please describe your exposure/knowledge?

2. Please describe your work experience (including work at your current installation) as it relates to LMS.

3. Please describe your current installation’s LMS efforts?

   1. Is there a need for better training, materials, services, or messaging about LMS? Why or why not?

   2. If it is not as effective as it could be, what are the reasons for that (what are the barriers)?

Army’s LMS Toolkit – General Questions

4. Are you aware of the LMS Toolkit? Have you reviewed it?

1. For what purposes did you review it?

[If yes, move on to ‘Dissemination and Advertisement Activities’ section]

[If no, skip to ‘Other LMS Resources’ section]

Army’s LMS Toolkit –Dissemination and Advertisement Activities

5. How did you learn about the Toolkit? Through which channels (e.g., ARD website, Product on Demand (POD) website, email listserv)?

1. Do you know where to find the Toolkit online?

6. Have you disseminated or shared the Toolkit? If so…

1. To whom (role, location)?

2. How/Through what channels?

7. Who would find the Toolkit to be helpful? Who should the target audience(s) of the Toolkit be (e.g., Army personnel, including soldiers, families, and civilians)?

8. Are these dissemination and advertisement methods effective at reaching the target audiences? How do you know?

1. Are there certain groups that these dissemination efforts are not reaching? How do we reach them?

1. If the Toolkit is not reaching certain groups, what can be changed in the dissemination efforts to better reach these groups?

9. Are there other dissemination methods that are not currently being utilized but should be?

1. If yes, what are they?

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Strengths and Barriers

10. Is there a need for the Toolkit? Please explain.

11. In general, what are the biggest strengths of the Toolkit?

12. Are there barriers to using the Toolkit or implementing LMS concepts/activities? What can be changed to make the Toolkit more effective?

1. Barriers in terms of…

   1. Content and resources included in the Toolkit

   2. User friendliness of the Toolkit

   3. Length of the Toolkit

   4. Efforts to disseminate the Toolkit, not previously discussed

   5. Efforts to advertise the Toolkit, not previously discussed

   6. Anything else?

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Content and Usefulness

13. What do you find most useful/least useful about the Toolkit? Please explain.

1. Possible prompts, if not already mentioned

   1. Defining LMS

   2. Discussing LMS with your unit, peers, and family members in and out of crisis

   3. Addressing misconceptions related to LMS and suicide prevention

   4. Developing community partnerships

   5. Normalizing and reinforcing LMS safety behaviors in and out of crisis

   6. Educating the community on LMS through communications campaigns

   7. Learning about what off-post storage options for firearms exist in your community

   8. Evaluating LMS efforts to inform future prevention activities

14. Has use of the Toolkit increased awareness and reinforced behaviors and norms related to LMS, such as safe storage of firearms, medications, and sharp objects? How do you know? Please explain.

15. Has use of the Toolkit increased the sharing of LMS resources and information among or within units, peers, and family members? How do you know? Please explain.

16. Has use of the Toolkit helped to dispel misconceptions and reduce stigma related to LMS and suicide prevention? How do you know? Please explain.

17. Has use of the Toolkit increased awareness and engagement in community partnerships/activities related to LMS (e.g., education, storage options, communication campaigns, and suicide prevention)? How do you know? Please explain.

18. Has the Toolkit helped Army personnel in any other ways not already discussed? If yes, please describe.

19. Is there anything missing from the Toolkit or parts that need improvement? If yes, please explain.

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Target Audience

20. Are there groups missing from the Toolkit that could benefit from LMS resources that were targeted towards them?

21. Does the Toolkit meet the needs of each of its target audiences? That is, does the toolkit adequately…

1. …cover the correct and helpful topics and information for…

   1. Army servicemembers?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

   2. For their families?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

   3. For Army civilians?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

2. …provide information in the right format for…

   1. Army servicemembers?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

   2. For their families?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

   3. For Army civilians?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

22. Based on your interactions with those using the Toolkit, do you think the Toolkit is well-received by…

1. Army servicemembers (including prevention personnel, leaders, etc.)? Please explain.

2. Their families? Please explain.

3. Army civilians? Please explain.

23. Based on your interactions with target audiences, how might the Toolkit be improved?

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

24. Can you please describe how effective the Toolkit is at achieving the following for its target audience?

1. Educating on LMS resources and activities

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

2. Providing guidance on LMS resources and activities

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

3. Explaining or demonstrating how LMS resources can be effectively utilized by Army personnel

10. For Army servicemembers?

11. For their families?

12. For Army civilians?

Army’s LMS Toolkit –Development

25. What stakeholders should be involved in future efforts related to the Toolkit (any future revisions or updates, evaluation efforts, dissemination planning, etc.)?

26. In future iterations of the Toolkit, what would you like to see added relating to postvention?

[If needed, provide the following definition for “postvention:” Postvention refers to steps taken after a suicidal incident to secure and protect individuals that have experienced or been exposed to a suicidal crisis to prevent future risk and/or harm.]

27. Can you think of any local policies, materials, or other influences that should shape updates to the Toolkit in the future?

Other LMS Resources

28. Are there other LMS materials/resources that the Army should adopt? Please explain.

1. Within Army, other Services, or elsewhere?

Miscellaneous

29. How can Army personnel integrate LMS into postvention efforts?

[If needed, provide the following definition for “postvention:” Postvention refers to steps taken after a suicidal incident to secure and protect individuals that have experienced or been exposed to a suicidal crisis to prevent future risk and/or harm.]

30. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss pertaining to the Army’s LMS Toolkit or the Army’s LMS program in general?

31. Is there anyone else you think we should talk to about LMS and suicide prevention?

32. Would you be willing and able to talk with us again if we have follow-up questions, and to give us an update after more time has passed since initial implementation? Will you be at this location/in this position in about one year?

Thank you for your time!

Key Army Personnel Follow-Up Interview Questions

Key Army Personnel Role and Experience

1. Please describe your work experience (including work at your current installation) as it relates to Lethal Means Safety (LMS).

2. Please describe your current installation’s LMS efforts?

   1. Is there a need for better training, materials, services, or messaging about LMS? Why or why not?

   2. If it is not as effective as it could be, what are the reasons for that (what are the barriers)?

Army’s LMS Toolkit – General Questions

3. How familiar are you with the LMS Toolkit? For what purposes have you reviewed it and/or used it?

4. What kind of impact has the Toolkit had on LMS at your installation (e.g., in terms of the advocacy for, acceptance of, and practice of LMS)? Please explain.

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Content and Usefulness

5. What do you find most useful/least useful about the Toolkit? Please explain.

1. Possible prompts, if not already mentioned

   1. Defining LMS

   2. Discussing LMS with your unit, peers, and family members in and out of crisis

   3. Addressing misconceptions related to LMS and suicide prevention

   4. Developing community partnerships

   5. Normalizing and reinforcing LMS safety behaviors in and out of crisis

   6. Educating the community on LMS through communications campaigns

   7. Learning about what off-post storage options for firearms exist in your community

   8. Evaluating LMS efforts to inform future prevention activities

6. Has use of the Toolkit increased awareness and reinforced behaviors and norms related to LMS, such as safe storage of firearms, medications, and sharp objects? How do you know? Please explain.

7. Has use of the Toolkit increased the sharing of LMS resources and information among or within units, peers, and family members? How do you know? Please explain.

8. Has use of the Toolkit helped to dispel misconceptions and reduce stigma related to LMS and suicide prevention? How do you know? Please explain.

9. Has use of the Toolkit increased awareness and engagement in community partnerships/activities related to LMS (e.g., education, storage options, communication campaigns, and suicide prevention)? How do you know? Please explain.

10. Has the Toolkit helped Army personnel in any other ways not already discussed? If yes, please describe.

11. Is there anything missing from the Toolkit or parts that need improvement? If yes, please explain.

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Target Audience

12. Are there groups missing from the Toolkit that could benefit from LMS resources that were targeted towards them?

13. How well does the Toolkit meet the needs of each of its target audiences? That is, how well does the toolkit…

1. …cover the correct and helpful topics and information for…

   1. Army servicemembers?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

   2. For their families?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

   3. For Army civilians?

      1. Anything missing? If so, what?

2. …provide information in the right format for…

   1. Army servicemembers?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

   2. For their families?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

   3. For Army civilians?

      1. Anything need to change? If so, what?

14. Based on your interactions with those using the Toolkit, how well received do you think the Toolkit is with…

1. Army servicemembers (including prevention personnel, leaders, etc.)? Please explain.

2. Their families? Please explain.

3. Army civilians? Please explain.

15. Based on your interactions with target audiences, how might the Toolkit be improved?

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

16. Can you please describe how effective the Toolkit is at achieving the following for its target audience?

1. Educating on LMS resources and activities

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

2. Providing guidance on LMS resources and activities

1. For Army servicemembers?

2. For their families?

3. For Army civilians?

3. Explaining or demonstrating how LMS resources can be effectively utilized by Army personnel

10. For Army servicemembers?

11. For their families?

12. For Army civilians?

Army’s LMS Toolkit – Strengths and Barriers

17. In general, what are the biggest strengths of the Toolkit?

18. Are there barriers to using the Toolkit or implementing LMS concepts/activities? What can be changed to make the Toolkit more effective?

1. Barriers in terms of…

   1. Content and resources included in the Toolkit

   2. User friendliness of the Toolkit

   3. Length of the Toolkit

   4. Efforts to disseminate the Toolkit

   5. Efforts to advertise the Toolkit

   6. Anything else?

Army’s LMS Toolkit –Dissemination and Advertisement Activities

19. Are there certain groups that dissemination and/or advertising efforts are not reaching? How do we reach them?

1. If the Toolkit is not reaching certain groups, what can be changed in the dissemination and/or advertising efforts to better reach these groups?

20. Are there dissemination and/or advertising methods that are not currently being utilized but should be?

1. If yes, what are they?

Army’s LMS Toolkit –Revising and updating

21. What stakeholders should be involved in future efforts related to the Toolkit (any future revisions or updates, evaluation efforts, dissemination planning, etc.)?

22. In future iterations of the Toolkit, what would you like to see added relating to postvention?

[If needed, provide the following definition for “postvention:” Postvention refers to steps taken after a suicidal incident to secure and protect individuals that have experienced or been exposed to a suicidal crisis to prevent future risk and/or harm.]

23. Can you think of any local policies, materials, or other influences that should shape updates to the Toolkit in the future?

Other LMS Resources

24. Are there other LMS materials/resources that the Army should adopt? Please explain.

1. Within Army, other Services, or elsewhere?

Miscellaneous

25. How can Army personnel integrate LMS into postvention efforts?

26. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss pertaining to the Army’s LMS Toolkit or the Army’s LMS program in general?

Thank you for your time!