Dealing With The Risk of Suicide in Wilderness, Boot Camp and Residential Programs
Counselors and therapists as well as medical and mental health professionals are not necessarily more qualified to evaluate and deal with a risk of suicide than a reasonable person.
Physicians are trained to diagnose and treat medical conditions, medicate if necessary, and admit patients to holding or psychiatric facilities. Evaluation, intervention and treatment of a suicide risk are specialized skills that require training and supervised experience.
Program personnel should consider themselves responsible for the outcome, when that program and their staff assume the authority to intervene or dismiss the risk of suicide.
The evaluation of a suicide risk is in fact an intervention and that intervention should not end once the child’s risk is no longer considered immediate. Consultation with parents and obtaining second opinions from qualified professionals are reasonable standards of practice.
A minimally qualified professional to deal with a suicide risk would have:
~ a masters degree in a mental health field,
~ licensure in a mental health field,
~ 16 hours of continuing education training in crisis intervention (with emphasis on suicide and violence risk), and
~ 6 months of supervised experience and training working with suicidal adults and children on regular basis./blockquote> Professionals with minimal qualifications should also be obtaining consultation on a regular basis from a professional who has expert skill and experience.
Programs have a duty to insure proper care. This duty is clear if the child displays any critical risk factors.
Programs must be vigilant if the admission reveals a history of a previous hospitalization or residential treatment, the child is on medications for a psychiatric condition, or there is a history of dangerous or self-harming behavior as well as failing social and educational performance.
Programs must pro-actively examine the potential interaction effects between each child and program structure before and after admission. Supervision or consultation with a qualified person as well as face to face evaluation are essential when staff are not qualified to deal with a risk of suicide
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