There
are many things to consider, when offering help to those who
are at risk for suicide. Carrying out the best course of action
involves not only an understanding of what is “clinically
best”, but also insight into the legal and ethical considerations.
The best legal and ethical practices should always focus on:
Consulting
a mental health clinician, emergency medical professional
or local law enforcement when there is a concern that a
person is a risk for suicide.
Making
sure that the person at risk is getting ethically appropriate
care. Health care clinicians must abide by an ethical
code dictated by their professional organizations and operate
within the regulations of their professional practice.
Knowing
the individual rights of a person at risk and operating
within the guidelines of those rights when offering assistance
to a suicidal person.
Electronic,
print, and multimedia resources are provided to help you to
find authoritative information on legal considerations when
interacting with a person who may have suicidal thoughts or
behaviors. These resources are available from such national
organizations as The National Institute of Mental Health as
well as professional organizations, not-for-profit organizations,
and educational institutions.
Internet
American
Counseling Association (ACA)
The
ACA is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization
dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling
profession and is the world's largest association exclusively
representing professional counselors in various practice settings.
The
ACA provides guidelines for non-counselors to the professional
counselor's ethical code, information about the licensure
requirements for counselors, and information about the mental
health bill of rights. The ACA Web page providing information
on legal and ethical considerations is available at the following
Web address:
