Life after a suicide attempt, life doesn’t just go back to normal. Statistics say that other attempts are likely to occur in the future. One way to reduce the ongoing risk is to have a transition care plan and a safety plan. The patient, their medical care providers, family members, and any others in the support network must maintain communication.
After a suicide attempt, the patient is treated in an emergency room. Too often, there isn’t any follow-up care with behavioral health providers. It doesn’t have to be that way if someone steps up to help by monitoring the patient’s care.
After-Care Makes a Difference
The right care after an attempt is critical and will save lives. Hear what a survivor said about her experiences. After-care makes a difference.
For many people, suicide is still a taboo subject. It’s difficult for survivors, family members, and even the emergency department medical staff to talk openly about it. It helps to know you are not alone. It’s actually healing to talk about the experience, what led to it, and how to prevent it from happening again. The guides below provide opportunities to start those conversations.
For the patient:
For family members, friends, and loved ones:
For Emergency Department medical providers:
Action Plan
- Identify the support team members and create a contact list so all involved are included in the Action Plan. A support team will typically include family members, friends, and others who are close to the patient. One person will need to agree to be responsible for communication.
- The patient must provide written consent to allow others to access their health records before any information can be shared between parties.
- *Create an individual safety plan (see below).
- Make a follow-up appointment for the patient before discharge from the hospital or inpatient psychiatric facility. If possible, the appointment should be within 48 hours of discharge.
- Maintain regular contact with the patient and check with providers to make sure that the person is receiving follow-up care.
- Develop agreements among hospitals, behavioral health providers, crisis centers, and others to facilitate safe transitions between settings.
- Share patient health information with referral providers.
- The patient needs to feel in control of their care. Be aware of any concerns and include them in all communication.
*Components of an Effective Safety Plan
- Written statement with information about prescribed medication(s) and treatment plans.
- Key contacts to call—including members of the patient’s support team, outpatient providers, crisis lines, and peer-support centers.
- Specific instructions about the signs, symptoms, or conditions that require a return.
- What to look for that may indicate a return of suicidal feelings.
- Follow-up care plan
- How to get resources and support in the community.
- How to reduce the immediate hazards of another suicide attempt (such as information on removing or restricting items that are frequently used for self-harm).
- Who to call with questions or concerns.
Remember that the patient is likely to feel mixed emotions after an attempt. Exhaustion, embarrassment, confusion, anxiety, and sadness are typical. Those close to the patient may be unsure about what to say. Simply being present, offering support, and showing that you care can be enough.
A
Culture of Caring: A Suicide Prevention Guide for Schools (K-12) was
created as a resource for educators who want to know how to get started and
what steps to take to create a suicide prevention plan that will work for their
schools and districts. It is written from my perspective as a school principal
and survivor of suicide loss, not an expert in psychology or counseling. I hope
that any teacher, school counselor, psychologist, principal, or district
administrator can pick up this book, flip to a chapter, and easily find helpful
answers to the questions they are likely to have about what schools can do to
prevent suicide.
