108 POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA Safety plans to prevent suicide (continued) How to implement? The person with thoughts of suicide can call these people at any time, to distract them from their thoughts or to let them know when their thoughts are becoming intense, signaling that they need support. Step 5: List mental health providers and the hours they can be reached, as well as 24/7 emergency contact numbers that can be accessed in a crisis. Guiding question(s) for the person thinking about suicide Who are the professionals you’ve worked with who can be helpful to you in a crisis? What other professionals or organizations could you call? Examples Therapist: work phone, cell phone, hours available Closest hospital: Crisis Line: When to implement? When suicidal thoughts have become very intense, and the person experiencing the thoughts believes they cannot cope on their own. How to implement? The person with thoughts of suicide should immediately call or visit these crisis contacts. Step 6: List the steps to be taken to remove access to means of suicide from the environment. Guiding question(s) for the person thinking about suicide What could be used to die by suicide in your environment (home, work)? How have you thought about dying by suicide before, and how can you make that method more difficult to access? Examples Pills: Give to pharmacist or friend for disposal Guns (or rope): Remove from home (give to a friend, etc.) When to implement? Before a suicidal crisis, preferably immediately after safety plan is developed. How to implement? The person with thoughts of suicide can remove these items from their environment themselves, giving them to friends or caregivers. The person working with them on their safety plan should confirm that all means have been removed from the home. Friends/caregivers can offer to keep or throw away these items. Keeping a person safe from a method of suicide can mean different things for each person and method. Firearms, in particular, should always be removed from the home, regardless of whether or not they have been noted as a means of suicide. Step 7: List important reasons to live, or how/why that person is still alive. Guiding question(s) for the person thinking about suicide When do you feel most at ease during the day?Who do you love?What do you enjoy doing?What did you used to enjoy doing?What is important to you, or used to be important to you?What has kept you alive up until now? Note: These reasons can become apparent through conversation with the person, and through the process of a suicide intervention.You may need to identify these for the person, based on what they’ve told you. Examples My dog is important enough to me that I want to stay alive to take care of him. When to implement? At any time before or during a suicidal crisis. How to implement? A person with thoughts of suicide can refer to these reasons for living at any time, as often as they want, to remind them of the positive aspects of their lives. Friends/caregivers can use these reasons in organic conversation, to help gently remind that person of their reasons for living. (Stanley & Brown, 2012) 5 6 7 (continued)
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