TABLE 1.

Lifeline Policy for Helping Callers at Imminent Risk of Suicide

Center guidelines shall direct crisis center staff to:

• Practice active engagement with callers and make efforts to establish sufficient rapport so as to promote the caller's collaboration in securing his/her own safety

• Use the least invasive intervention and consider involuntary emergency interventions as a last resort, except for in circumstances as described below

• Initiate lifesaving services for attempts in progress—guidelines shall not require the individual's consent to initiate medically necessary rescue services

• Initiate active rescue to secure the immediate safety of the individual at risk if the caller remains unwilling and/or unable to take action to prevent his/her suicide and remains at imminent risk

• Practice active engagement with persons calling on behalf of someone else (“third-party callers”) toward determining the least invasive, most collaborative actions to best ensure the safety of the person at risk

• Have supervisory staff available during all hours of operations for timely consultation in determining the most appropriate intervention for any individual who may be at imminent risk of suicide

• Maintain caller ID or other method of identifying the caller's location that is readily accessible to staff

• Staff must seek to confirm that emergency services have successfully made contact with the at-risk individual and, if not successful, take additional steps to address the safety needs of the at-risk individual.