Q/A Session Jan 2025: Planning responses that prioritise collaboration and support

Name: SafeSide Prevention
Price range: $

Questions & Responses

The educational scenario involved a member urgently presenting to a Health Centre after expressing suicidal thoughts on social media, escorted by his chain of command. Note: This session was a follow-up to the December Q&A, which can be reviewed here and focused on determining risk status and risk state. In this session, the group worked through the next two components of the prevention-orientated risk formulation.

Available resources

Grandfather: Ask further about the nature of the relationship and whether he is available to be integrated into the safety plan. Can he come over, or can he only offer other support by phone?
Friends: Command was contacted by one of his mates, saying he was worried about him as he had made some suicidal comments early this morning on social media. Explore if there are friends who could be a part of the support system.
What stopped him from acting on those thoughts was what created a temporary break in his thoughts. Could that be an available resource?

Foreseeable changes

Gambling losses: We don’t know the full extent, but if that behaviour escalates, it could cause concern.
Ex-partner: If he sees more content on social media of his ex-partner with their new partner.

Additional Notes

When identifying resources, the emphasis is on the word “available”. What supports can be built into the safety plan that the person can realistically access?
Most people who die by suicide are those who have been seen as having low risk, so it's essential, even when working with someone who seems to be doing well, to identify foreseeable changes and develop a contingency plan for each one.
When sharing information that has come up during a session, such as with Command, it is essential to clearly explain to the person what you are sharing, why, and what it will be used for.
Document the person’s decisions about “who” the information is shared with when possible.

Key Questions/Discussions Raised in the Discussion

With very little time, we often want to get right to the plan. What’s the role of all of these details in the SafeSide Framework?

Sometimes, time constraints can make it difficult to spend a lot of time going through a person’s background. For this reason, you might spend less time gathering information about their history, but it is essential to devote time to foreseeable changes and available resources. To map out a meaningful safety plan, it is important to know who the person can turn to for support, what they can do to manage, and what some “oh no” moments could escalate risk.

Takeaways

Delve into strengths and protective factors to understand if they could help uncover available resources.
“Look for the shovel in the corner while mapping the prison.” Exploring a person's available resources can help you create a meaningful and useful safety plan.
In very concerning situations, it can feel overwhelming. When you feel that way. look for input and support. You don't need to figure out the next steps alone.