HOW TO ASSIST WITH SUICIDE

INTERVENTION2010 Louisiana Professional

School Counselor’s Conference

Mary Lanier LeJeune

ATTITUDES AND HOPES

TYPES OF SUICIDE PREVENTION Prevention

Intervention

Postvention

THE WHOLE PICTURE

ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF PERSONS AT RISK Connecting

Invitations – EXPLORESuicide - ASK

UnderstandingReasons – LISTENRisk - REVIEW

AssistingSafeplan – CONTRACTCommitments – FOLLOW-UP

WHO IS AT RISK? Groups Events Reactions

ANYBODY withLOSS experiencing

HOPELESSNESS or DESPERATION

EXPLORE INVITATIONS Actions Thoughts Feelings Physical

STRESSFUL EVENTS with FEELINGS OF LOSS

ASK ABOUT SUICIDELISTEN TO AND FOR REASONS Ask about thoughts of suicide Listen to the reasons for dying AND for

living

Reasons for dying – what does it mean to the person at the time

Reasons for living internally: feelings, beliefs, attitudesexternally: resource people, support system,

activities/hobbies, family

REVIEW RISK: CPR++ Are you having thoughts of suicide?Current Factors Current Suicide Plan: How? How

prepared? How soon? Pain: Do you have pain that at times

feels unbearable? Resources: Do you feel like you have

few, if any, resources?Background Factors+ Prior Suicidal Behavior+ Mental Health

SAFEPLANS Keep Safe – set a time frame Safety contacts – minimum of 3 Safe/NO use of alcohol and drugs Link to resourcesPURPOSE of the SAFEPLAN Disable the Suicide Plan Ease the pain Link to resources Protect against danger/ support past

skills Link to health workers

MEMORIZE IT!

1-800-273-TALK

RESOURCES Applied Suicide Intervention Skills

Training (ASIST) LivingWorks Education Inc.livingworks.net

Jasonfoundation.org