Third Party Suicide Checklist
Third party suicide calls are often complicated due to the number of people involved and the numerous things to remember on top of the active listening skills utilized in all calls. Use this checklist as a tool during Third Party Suicide calls as a general guide and reminder.
*Grab the Blue Book and open it to 3rd Party Suicide Section! (No matter how many times you’ve done this!)
· Did you ENGAGE third party and REFLECT their feelings?
(Even though they are concerned about someone else we want caller to know we care about and want to support them, as well. You will do this throughout the entire call. Reflect only what you hear the caller is feeling. Don’t make assumptions about what you think the caller should be feeling.)
· Did you do a LETHALITY ASSESSMENT about the suicidal person based on information from the Third party?
(We do a Lethality Assessment for EVERY Third Party Call – even if the caller does not know much. Leave unknowns blank (don’t guess!) You will get a lot of information by inviting the caller to tell you more about the situation in an open-ended way. Third Party callers sometimes seem to want to rush to “what should I do?” The more information you have the more helpful you can be so try, “It sounds like you feel so anxious to help your loved one. I’d like to be as helpful as possible so can you tell me about what has been making you feel so concerned?” If you do not hear the answer to a question on the Lethality Assessment –ASK, explaining that we may need to ask some questions to assess risk.
· Did you EDUCATE Third Party about WARNING SIGNS and HOW THEY CAN BE HELPFUL to suicidal person?
(See Lethality Assessment and “Be Aware of the Warning Signs/Ways to Be Helpful to Someone who is Threatening Suicide” (Handout in the Bluebook)
· Did you EXPLORE possible INTERVENTION OPTIONS with Third Party?
· DID YOU OFFER AN OUTREACH? (If accepts do advocacy form)
(We offer outreach calls to suicidal person in every 3rd party call!)
-Tell 3rd Party the content of call with S.P. will be confidential We can only share w/ 3rd party whether or not we were able to make contact.
- Please try to get the 3rd party’s consent to use their name when making the outreach call whenever possible. We want to emphasize the need for collaboration with the 3rd Party in helping to keep the Suicidal Person safe. Offer anonymity only if the 3rd party will not agree to anything else. This increases our credibility with the suicidal person in making the initial outreach call and also opens up the possibility of taking measures such as 3- way call with Suicidal Person, 3rd Party, and Crisis Counselor, and enlisting 3rd Party’s participation in the safety plan. (For example, 3rd party agrees to stay with Suicidal Person until Mobile Crisis Team arrives, 3rd Party takes caller to the ER, 3rd Party helps remove means of harm, 3rd Party agrees to help Suicidal Person talk with family members, ect…)
-ASK IF OKAY TO LEAVE MESSAGE FOR SP! (Anyone else in house who might hear message? Is it a personal cell or land line? Is the suicidal person a minor? Is the Suicidal Person living in a home where there is suspicion of abuse or domestic violence? (Please see Special Circumstances to Consider”)
· DID YOU OFFER A FOLLOW-UP CALL TO THIRD PARTY? (Always offer in every 3rd party call!!!)
-let them know if sp was contacted/get more information if needed/ discuss other options if we are not able to contact/ provide support to 3rd party
· -DID YOU GET THE NAME (at least 1st name) AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE THIRD PARTY? (Very important!!!!)
-We need this to inform them whether or not we were able to make contact, to obtain further information regarding suicidal person if needed, and to provide support or explore other options.
*We are reluctant to make an Outreach call if 3rd party will not provide name and phone number.
*In most cases we will not contact police to go to home of suicidal person based on 3rd party report alone, especially if 3rd party is unwilling to share contact info.
(We don’t know if 3rd party has another agenda or an erroneous perception and sending the police to someone’s house is a decision we use only as a last resort) Please call staff member on call should this situation arise and we will make a decision on a case-by-case basis.
*If 3rd party wants police sent and won’t give their contact info you can help them look at their options
(3rd party may contact police, take person to hospital, call Mobile Crisis)
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES TO CONSIDER:
· Suicidal Person lives outside of Suffolk or Nassau Counties- reflect feelings and do Lethality Assessment and provide contact information to a crisis center located in the suicidal person’s area (See www.hopeline.com or the National Crisis Center Directory Binder for hotlines in other areas). Encourage the 3rd Party to contact them and ask them to make an Outreach Call to the Suicidal Person. Tell 3rd Party if that local crisis center will not make outreach to call us back and we will do the Outreach call. If Third Party is unable to contact another crisis center themselves (too emotional, difficulty communicating, anxiety) get Third Party’s information and we can contact the crisis center ourselves.
· 3rd Party and/or Suicidal Person is a minor- don’t rush or panic! Trust-building is particularly important with teens. After trust has been well-established and a thorough Lethality Assessment done, explore if there is a trusted adult in life to talk with and notify of the situation (family member, teacher, guidance counselor, school social worker, therapist). Important to encourage collaboration- as a rule of thumb we would prefer minors do not remain anonymous as we do not know their motivation for wanting an outreach call made. Does the suicidal person have a private cell phone number or is there a chance that a family member will be answering the phone.
· Risk of harm as a result of outreach- If the Suicidal Person living in a situation where there is a suspicion of family violence where they would be put at risk of harm as the result of an Outreach Call being made we would not make the call and would try to explore other options for helping the Suicidal Person
In all of these cases please seek supervision from the Response staff!