Law & Ethics for Clinicians Working With Children & Families

Table I I .3 ASSESSMENT OF SUICIDE RISK AND EXAMPLES
OF PSYCHIATRIC INTERVENTION OPTIONS
Suicide risk Psychiatric interventions
High Immediate hospitalization
Moderate Consider hospitalization
Frequent outpatient visits
Reevaluate treatment plan frequently
Remain available to patient
Low Continue with current treatment
plan
Note: Tables 11.2 and 11.3 represent only one method of suicide risk assessment and
intervention. The purpose of these tables is heuristic, encouraging a systematic approach
to risk assessment. The therapist's clinical judgment concerning the patient remains
paramount. Given the fact that suicide risk variables will be assigned different weights
according to the clinical presentation of thc patient, the assessment method presented in
these tables cannot be followed rigidly.
Simon, R.I. (1992). Clinical Psychiatry and the Law, 2nd Ed. Washington, DC:
American Psychiatric Press.