August 14, 2006

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: After an Attempt: A Guide for Medical Providers in the Emergency Department

The emergency department (ED) is the frontline of medicine and often serves as the doorway into the medical system for people in distress. Individuals who have attempted suicide are at increased risk for later committing suicide. The ED is often the initial point of contact with the health system for many of these individuals, and it offers a unique opportunity to help people who have attempted suicide to begin to recover from the aspects that led to the suicide attempt. The purpose of this brochure, from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & National Alliance on Mental Illness is to provide tips to enhance care in the ED for people who have attempted suicide, while also providing information on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), patient discharge, and resources about suicide for medical professionals, patients, and their families.