Integration of Youth Suicide Screening into Pediatric Practice

Turning Research into Real World Practice: Detecting and Managing Suicide Risk in Medical and School Settings

Media Contact:  Anne Moss Rogers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Baltimore, MD, Month, date- In 2017, 6,769 youth ages 10-24 died by suicide, positioning suicide as the second leading cause of death among this age group for the eighth consecutive year. Previous research has identified that many youths who die by suicide visited a healthcare setting just weeks preceding their death, but were not detected. In response to the rising suicide rates, The Joint Commission (TJC) has recommended that all medical patients be screened for suicide risk, highlighting medical settings as critical venues to identify and intervene with youth at risk.

Many hospitals and outpatient care clinics have begun implementing suicide risk screening programs in their standard practice. One tool being utilized is the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ). The ASQ is an evidence-based, twenty-second suicide risk screen developed at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for use in medical settings to identify youth ages 10-24 at risk for suicide. The ASQ contains four standard questions with an additional fifth question to assess for acuity if the patient is “positive” for suicide risk. Successful implementation of a screening program in medical settings requires physician and nurse champions and a three-tiered screening approach to feasibly and efficiently manage patients who screen positive.

Lisa Horowitz, PhD, MPH, Staff Scientist at the NIMH, Jeff Bridge PhD at the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Ohio State University, John Campo, MD at WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and Anne Moss Rogers of Emotionally Naked LLC and Beacon Tree Foundation, will lead a symposium at the Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) Meeting on April 28, 2019 in Baltimore, Md on implementing suicide risk screening in medical and school settings.  

The four speakers have a two-hour time slot and will present on:

1. The Youth Suicide Risk Clinical Pathway, utilizing the ASQ Suicide-Screening Questions developed for the pediatric Emergency Department, and validated on the inpatient medical/surgical unit and in the outpatient primary care setting
2. Discussion of suicide risk screening and the inadequacy of depression screens to detect suicide risk in primary care
3. Data and teachings from the Signs of Suicide (SOS) school suicide prevention program
4. Point of view from a suicide loss survivor, Rogers, whose son, Charles, died by suicide just weeks after visiting an outpatient clinic. She will advocate for screening and present on how to leverage social media for suicide prevention
5. How research studies in suicide prevention, screening and management have been translated into practical applications that can be utilized in medical and school settings

Studies and more information on the tool, can be found on the ASQ Suicide Screening Tool page on the NIMH website. Educational videos.

Responsible reporting on suicide and the inclusion of stories of hope and resilience can prevent more suicides.

You can find more information on safe messaging about suicide here.  If you’re feeling suicidal, please talk to somebody. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “START” to Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

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• The ASQ Questions
• Event
• Session info
• Easy-to-read guide about what the tool is
• ASQ Studies and Toolkit for Implementation
• Educational Videos

See all the ASQ posts on this website

Speaking at Pediatric Conference in Baltimore, MD