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Risk Assessment Checklist Identifying Basic Criteria Assessing Whether a Client Is Harmful to Self or Others
In the U.S., suicide rate is relative to homicide rate, increasing at a yearly rate of fifty percent. One individual takes his/her life every sixteen minutes in the U.S., making the nation's average suicide rate 89 per day. Suicide has affected over 5 million individuals in the U.S. Of all suicide cases, 52% are performed using firearms kept at the victim's home. More than 90% of suicide victims usually suffer from major psychiatric ailments while taking their lives. Of these, substance abuse and mood disorders are most common. Knowledge of client history is imperative while evaluating self-harm risks among clients (Berman, n.d.).
Traumas can be defined as anxiety-creating objective events injurious to individuals' feelings of well-being (Herman, 1997). The individual must perceive an occurrence to be extremely threatening for any trauma to spark a crisis. Crises resulting from trauma are characterized by emotional and mental confusion triggered by a threat's perception (Berman, n.d.).
Alcohol/drug abuse, unprotected sex, drunk driving, smoking, gunplay or weapon involvement, involvement in criminal justice, known mental health or medical conditions, and other static factors ought to be taken into account. Also to be considered in the assessment of patient self-harm risks are static factors like history of violence or impulsivity, prior suicide attempts and self-mutilation behaviors predict behaviors. Prior involvement in activities of a high-risk nature, accessibility of lethal means, major medical/mental illness, impulsiveness, prior suicide attempts and history of violence all indicate increased likelihood...
A continuum should be used for evaluating all behaviors. Every behavioral change must be either reported or observed, by some third party, or by the patient him/herself (Berman, n.d.).
Checklist
Sr.
Statement
Yes
No
1.
Apparent use of alcohol/drugs
2.
Depression
3.
Anxiety
4.
Despondency
5.
Remorsefulness
6.
Agitation
7.
Anger
8.
Appetite Change
9.
Lethargy or sleeplessness
Professionals must be aware of the distinction between plans, ideation, and means. Ideation implies experiencing or thinking about killing or hurting oneself (Berman, n.d.). If the client answers "yes" in this regard, practitioners must explore the following:
Sr.
Statement
Yes
No
1.
Is the patient stating intent, talking about suicide, or making gestures or threats?
2.
Is he/she expressing innuendos -- (that is, suicidal statements like I wish to die or the world will be much better off if I'm gone)?
3.
Is he/she pre-occupied with the idea of dying and death?
4.
Is he/she fantasizing about suicide and its possible repercussions? (for adolescents)
5.
Is he/she trying to access means?
6.
Are thoughts of dying recurrent?
7.
Is the patient experiencing command hallucinations?
Plans refer to whether the patient has…
Bibliography
Berman, J. (n.d.). Assessing Client Risk for Self-Harm. CEU School.
Herman, Judith Lewis. Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books, 1997.
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