Making a safety plan more than a piece of paper
Safety plans are a common part of care for people seeking help for suicidal thoughts or actions, with multiple studies and meta-analyses showing how helpful they can be.
Capturing information about what might cause someone to struggle, how they can respond, and who they can reach out to can be life-saving. But when these plans are treated simply as routine forms to be completed, they are less impactful.
Hallmarks of meaningful safety plans include:
- Information specific to the person
- Completed and updated collaboratively with the person at risk
- Capitalises on or adds to connections and supports
- For example, if someone has a large support system, you can work with them to identify key people they can reach out to. Encourage the person to let their support people know their role in the plan.
- Emphasise autonomy and choice. Empower the person to think deeply about what can help them use their supports if things get worse.
- Genuine care and thought about a person’s unique situation is key to creating more than just a “piece of paper with some names and numbers.”
When working with someone who has a questionable home situation or lacks key supports, you can help them identify useful community resources. A person who lacks a strong family network may feel that they don’t have anyone to call on, so connecting them to resources that are specific to them and their situation can have a huge positive impact.
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