Protocols for Suicidal Ideation PDF

Protocols for suicidal ideation: 1. (i) Harm to self: Assess Risk. Basic Mental Health Support If they are at imminent risk: Do not let them leave. Notify Smritee or Ira. In case both are absent, notify another gatekeeper. Call their emergency contact and organize a suicide watch. Post the suicide w...

Protocols for suicidal ideation: 1. (i) Harm to self: Assess Risk. Basic Mental Health Support If they are at imminent risk: Do not let them leave. Notify Smritee or Ira. In case both are absent, notify another gatekeeper. Call their emergency contact and organize a suicide watch. Post the suicide watch, Smritee or Ira will assign a gatekeeper to your patient. You will not be their gatekeeper. If they are at high risk: Notify Smritee or Ira. They will assign a gatekeeper to your patient. If the gatekeeper assigned is not available at the end of your session, connect your patient to their gatekeeper virtually within 24 hours and ensure contact has been made and a time for them to meet has been fixed. Before you leave the patient, ensure they know that they will get a gatekeeper and that they understand what a gatekeeper is and what their role will be and how it’s different from your role. This means you can give the patient the option to wait at the centre if it's going to be in a relatively short period of time and you think the risk is high. Make sure all their questions in all scenarios are answered. BEING A GATEKEEPER: Assess risk Basic Mental Health Support Involve appropriate health care professional (Psychiatrists, psychologist, general practitioner - check referral pathway sheet for contact details: https:// docs.google.com/document/d/ 1azU3bi7Fe01_2S2oZ2V73wOkdNMolMD1wI_6LPdI-Cw/edit ) Create safety plan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19G3ChdwU8fh4N8D17ahTtdZQqc2MqYc/view?usp=drive_link Create support circle: - Identify at least 3 people who the patient can reach out to and can be a regular support during times of distress, especially imminent distress. At least 1 person needs to be in the same city. - Have a meeting to explain them their responsibilities and go over patients safety plan - Involve patient in this meeting - Share reading material and resources to members of the support circle - Give them your email address for questions Have POC with support circle Follow up at appropriate intervals with the POC as per recommendations in mhGAP Inform supervisor immediately: collaboratively decide to continue or not continue HAP (ii) Harm to others: Explicit imminent intent to harming others needs to flagged to the supervisor immediately and law-inforcement must be alerted. If the counsellor thinks the patient is likely to harm others because of lack of control, the patient needs to be referred to a psychiatrist. Immediately alert your supervisor. Together you can get in touch with their emergency contact. This will be case by case.