Clinic Staff and Patient Recommendations to Improve ACEs and SR Screening Programs
| Recommendations | Description |
|---|---|
| Clinic staff should fully explain why both screenings are administered and how they relate to current health. | Although the majority of patients seen at study clinics completed the ACEs screening when there was hesitancy, staff observed that patients were more likely to complete the ACEs screening when staff had adequate time and training to provide context. |
| Healthcare teams should take the type of visit into consideration before administering ACEs surveys to minimize potential re-traumatization. | Clinic staff had differing approaches to what kinds of visits ACEs screening should be conducted. For example, many sites did not administer ACEs screening during telehealth visits. One medical assistant firmly suggested that ACEs screening should not be administered before a well-woman exam. |
| Clinicians should always discuss screening results and offer resources. | Many study participants highlighted the importance of discussing ACEs and SR screening results and offering referrals and resources accessible to patients at home. Many acknowledged that it takes time to accept or realize the impact of trauma. Some patients may initially decline referrals but may be interested later. One clinic staff member therefore recommended that referrals are always offered. Clinics should be clear about the availability of referrals and provide context for accessing resources with longer waiting periods. |
| ACEs and SR-related resources and referrals should be provided whether or not formal screening takes place. | A patient recommended posting SR resources on bulletin boards. This would allow patients to find community organizations or clinic resources (e.g., on-site food pantry) even when SR are not discussed in a visit. |
Abbreviations: ACEs, Adverse childhood experiences; SR, Suicide risk.