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Suicide Assessment | Part 3 Formulate Risk and Plan for Safety
In Part Three (the final part) of this series on Suicide Assessment, the focus is on how to use the information you have gathered from your client to formulate the degree of risk you believe to be present and then PLAN with your client for safety.
Suicide Assessment | Part 2 Gathering Information: Ask/Listen/Clarify
In Part Two of this series, the focus is on Gathering Information for your Assessment. In particular, how to ASK your client about suicide, LISTEN to their story, and use the Framework provided in Part One to CLARIFY missing pieces of your assessment.
Suicide Assessment | Part 1 A Framework to Guide Assessment
Guidance provided here on Suicide Assessment emphasizes a conceptual approach, designed to prepare clinicians to respond effectively when clients share suicidal thoughts or when risk is suspected. The focus is on assessing "safety for now" and building confidence in forming a clear plan of action with clients to maintain that safety.
Brief Interventions to Maintain Safety | Part 2 Lethal Means Counseling
Restricting access to lethal means is essential for anyone at risk of suicide and is among the most effective strategies for preventing suicide. This evidence-based intervention is an important component of a comprehensive safety plan and focuses on limiting access to methods such as firearms or prescription medications that could be used in a suicide attempt.
Brief Interventions to Maintain Safety | Part 1 Suicide Safety Planning
Working with clients at risk of suicide is one of the most challenging aspects of clinical practice and knowing how you will support your client during a suicide crisis can have a profound impact on their safety. Suicide Safety Planning is an evidence-based intervention that all clinicians should implement to reduce the likelihood of a suicide attempt.
Essential Links
The Means Matter Campaign, part of the Harvard School of Public Health, promotes activities that reduce a person’s access to lethal means of suicide. This site provides detailed information for clinicians on how to address access to lethal means with clients.
Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)
This free video-based training, developed through the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), addresses means restriction and provides guidance on how to work with clients on restricting access to lethal means.
Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention
This site contains guidance on how to develop a safety plan with clients. Supporting documentation, forms, and brief training videos are available to illustrate essential aspects of the Safety Planning Intervention
Developed by Vibrant Emotional Health (in support of the Lifeline) this is an online, fillable, and printable form for clients. It is based on the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention.
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