Citation

Wortzel HS, Barnes SM, Cannizzaro KA, Villarreal EJ, Matarazzo BB, Allen MH. J. Psychiatr. Pract. 2019; 25(6): 470-474.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PRA.0000000000000434

PMID

31821224

Abstract

In clinical practice, welfare checks have become a fairly common aspect of suicide prevention. At the same time, the medical literature provides almost no guidance to inform clinicians under what circumstances welfare checks should be requested, how best to go about placing those requests, or how to document decision-making related to this important subject. Literature searches spanning both PubMed and Google Scholar failed to yield any applicable results. Performed correctly, welfare checks have the potential to be life-saving interventions for persons in suicidal crises. Performed incorrectly, welfare checks may become an overly defensive practice that damages therapeutic relationships, violates patients' rights, and consumes important and limited community resources. The need for thoughtful guidance to assist clinicians in navigating these difficult clinical scenarios is long overdue. This column, the second in a 2-part series, offers an approach to welfare checks informed by the tenets of therapeutic risk management.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Suicide; Professional-Patient Relations; Suicide Prevention; Risk Management