Citation

Horowitz LM, Ryan PC, Wei AX, Boudreaux ED, Ackerman JP, Bridge JA. Focus (Am. Psychiatr. Publ.) 2023; 21(2): 145-151.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Psychiatric Publishing)

DOI

10.1176/appi.focus.20220086

PMID

37201144

PMCID

PMC10172561

Abstract

Early detection of risk is a key suicide prevention strategy. Given that most individuals who die by suicide visit a health care provider in the year leading up to their death, medical settings are ideal venues for identifying those at elevated risk and bridging them to life-saving care. Clinicians are presented with an opportunity to engage in proactive suicide prevention efforts through practical and adaptable suicide risk screening, assessment, and management processes. Psychiatrists and mental health clinicians are well positioned to assist nonpsychiatric clinicians on the frontlines of this public health problem. This article discusses the importance of identifying people at elevated suicide risk through screening, differentiates screening from assessment procedures, and presents practical strategies for implementing evidence-based screening and assessment tools into practice as part of a three-tiered clinical pathway. Specifically, this article discusses key components that guide embedding suicide prevention strategies into the workflows of busy medical settings.

Language: en

Keywords

suicide; Screening; clinical pathway; Suicide and Self-Harm; suicide risk screening