High Suicide Risk

Patient with psychiatric diagnoses with severe symptoms or acute precipitating event, with insufficient protective factors.

Examples of high risk, active suicidal ideation

  • Active intent
  • Has lethal means of harming self, e.g. firearms, toxic medications, etc.
  • Unable to contract for safety, i.e. patient is unable to agree to tell someone else if suicidal ideation worsens
  • Potentially lethal suicide attempt or persistent ideation with strong intent or suicide rehearsal.

Consider the following:

Contact the psychiatrist on-call at your local hospital

In Ontario

In Ottawa

In acute emergency, call 911

Reference: Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T).