title: Suicide prevention: critical elements for managing suicidal clients and counselor liability without the use of a no-suicide contract.
abstract: Despite its entrenchment as a standard of practice, no-suicide contracts fail to achieve their purpose as an effective part of treatment or as an effective method of inoculating counselors against potential lawsuits should a client commit suicide. Critical elements for managing suicidal clients and counselor liability without reliance on the no-suicide contract are presented. Therapeutic considerations include evaluating clients to determine (a) no referral for hospitalization needed, (b) referral for voluntary hospitalization, or (c) referral for involuntary hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Alabama State University, P.O. Box 241972, Montgomery, AL 36124, USA.
authors.forename: Jeane B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bartlett
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D032982:Contracts / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004282:Documentation; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012308:Risk Management; D014481:United States; D000092864:Suicide Prevention