PAR-25-067
Social disconnection and Suicide Risk in Late Life (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Summary
Briefing: PAR-25-067 Social Disconnection and Suicide Risk in Late Life
Research Focus
This R01 Clinical Trial Optional award targets the urgent public health problem of late-life suicide, which has risen over 40% in the past decade and carries the highest fatality rate of any age group. The funder seeks mechanistic research identifying how social disconnection—encompassing objective social isolation, perceived isolation (loneliness), and poor-quality relationships—confers suicide risk in older adults, and conversely, how social integration protects against suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Research should identify neurobiological, behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental mechanisms at multiple levels of analysis (e.g., brain imaging, neuroendocrinology, behavioral assessment, social network structure) that could become intervention targets. Studies examining health disparities, intersectionality, and how sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and setting (urban vs. rural) interact with suicide risk are encouraged. Clinical trials submitted must be mechanistic (not efficacy/effectiveness trials) and recruit participants at risk for suicidal thoughts, behaviors, or intentional self-harm. The funder emphasizes Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) dimensional approaches over traditional diagnostic categories, and supports experimental therapeutics development or redesign of healthcare and community-based services for older adults in suicidal crisis.
At a Glance
- Who can apply: Not stated (see full FOA for institutional eligibility)
- Funding & project length: Not stated in excerpt
- Award mechanism: R01 Research Project Grant (companion R21 available for high-risk/preliminary-data projects)
- Key dates: Open January 5, 2025; multiple submission deadlines through February 5, 2026; expiration September 8, 2026
- Best fit for: Gerontology, psychiatry, neuroscience, psychology researchers studying late-life suicide prevention via social connection mechanisms; neuroimaging, longitudinal cohort, and intervention-development approaches
Key Facts
Deadline
Mon, September 7, 2026
Posted
Mon, November 18, 2024
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (3)
Applications designated as clinical trials must be mechanistic clinical trials only; trials proposing to influence clinical outcomes, test intervention safety/feasibility, demonstrate efficacy/effecti
95%
Source Text
“Applications submitted to this NOFO that are designated as clinical trials must be mechanistic clinical trials, as defined in NOT-MH-19-006. Clinical trials that propose to influence a clinical outcome, test safety or feasibility of an intervention, demonstrate the clinical efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention, or analyze the effect size of an intervention on clinical outcomes are ineligible for this NOFO.”
If using RDoC or dimensional constructs as primary variables instead of diagnostic criteria, study design must ensure adequate representation of individuals in severely impaired ranges of that dimensi
90%
Source Text
“Under this NOFO if study hypotheses and/or enrollment criteria are not based on existing diagnostic criteria (i.e., an RDoC or other dimensional construct is proposed to serve as the primary variable representing psychopathology), the study design and sampling plan must be such as to assure that an adequate number of individuals assessed as falling within the more severely impaired ranges of that dimension will be included in the study.”
NOFO was updated March 31, 2025 to align with agency priorities; applicants must carefully reread the full opportunity and adjust applications accordingly before submission.
85%
Source Text
“March 31, 2025 - This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.”