If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, text Help to 741741, or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis support.
Support Safe Care Transitions and Create Organizational Linkages
You can reduce patients’ suicide risk by ensuring that they have an uninterrupted transition of care and by facilitating the exchange of information among the various individuals and organizations that contribute to their care. Individuals at risk for suicide and their support networks (e.g., families) must also be part of the communication process. Tools and practices that support continuity of care include formal referral protocols, interagency agreements, cross-training, follow-up contacts, rapid referrals, and patient and family education.
Effective transitions in care can help reduce suicide risk among individuals receiving health or behavioral health services. One example would be a person with suicide risk who connects with outpatient mental health services following an emergency department visit. Unfortunately, far too often these individuals fail to connect with needed services, particularly following a suicidal crisis.
Planning for care transitions, and making them as easy as possible for patients and providers, is an important part of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.
Take Action
- Make a follow-up appointment for the patient before discharge from the hospital or inpatient psychiatric facility (ideally, for within 48 hours of discharge).
- Involve family, friends, and other loved ones in the plans for care transition.
- Make follow-up contacts (e.g., by e-mail, text, phone calls) with the patient and check with providers to make sure that the person is receiving follow-up care.
- Develop agreements among hospitals, behavioral health providers, crisis centers, and others to facilitate safe transitions between settings.
- Transmit patient health information to referral providers.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, text Help to 741741, or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis support.