What is a suicide risk assessment?
Q: What is a suicide risk assessment?
A: A suicide risk assessment (SRA) is an evaluation used to determine the likelihood of a person taking their own life. It is typically conducted by a mental health professional, such as a counselor, and can help lead to treatment that may reduce or end suicidal symptoms.
Q: What are the two parts of an SRA?
A: The first part of an SRA consists of talking with a doctor or other trained mental health worker who will ask specific questions about what the person is thinking and feeling, and what is going on in their life (known as a clinical interview). The second part involves using one or more tests that measure suicide risk, called "scales". Examples include the Suicidal Affect-Behavior-Cognition Scale (SABCS) and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS).
Q: Is an SRA always accurate?
A: No, it does not always provide an exact indication of someone's suicide risk. However, it usually gives a helpful score for making decisions about necessary treatments.
Q: How often should SRAs be done?
A: An SRA should be done more than once while the person is in treatment if their risk level changes over time due to factors like new job opportunities, relationships forming/ending etc. Additionally, if they are receiving hospital treatment then it must be completed before they are sent home.
Q: Why do some mental health care workers have little training in doing SRAs?
A: According to an article published in 2012 in Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior journal many mental health care workers lack sufficient training when it comes to conducting SRAs.
Q: What happens if hospitals, doctors or counselors fail to do an SRA when needed?
A: If hospitals, doctors or counselors fail to do an SRA when needed they can be sued for negligent death if the suicidal person goes there for help but never received this assessment. Negligent death means that something was not done which was required and resulted in someone dying as a result.
