ok, working on sop. (sorry to be pokey) need opinion.

[mopinko]

this is something that i also wondered about as a mod-
what advice do you all think should be given in case of a member who is suicidal?
we have always locked and referred to 800-sui-cide. we do have a disclaimer about substituting posting for therapy, so that sort of covers that.
i think advising to go to the er or call 911 before the hotline.
i still think locking is a good idea. the idea of someone sitting, waiting for a reply when there is no one around is just too sad for me to think about.

but, chip in. can we put together a mental health first aid kit to pin?

[Tobin S.]

1. I think suggesting the ER or 911 is a good idea

Suicidal people should be considered a life threatening emergency. But I think we should also include the hotline number as a lifeline to hold onto while waiting for help to arrive.

The section of the statement on this subject might look like this:

"If you are suicidal please go to the emergency room immediately. If you don't have the means to get there on your own, please dial 911. If you find yourself waiting for help, please dial 1-800-sui-cide."

What do you think?

[EFerrari]

3. SET: Sympathy, empathy, truth.

This is a communication tool for use when people are very upset and having trouble being in charge of themselves. If you use those steps, it helps the upset person focus on your "T", on your message to them.

Imo, using this (or some tech that is as effective) in the statement is as or more important than the content of whatever advisement we can dream up.