Many of you who have followed this blog for a long time know what a big supporter I am for using the ASK Suicide Screening Tool validated by NIMH. Suicide is the #2 cause of death for youth and this tool is literally a lifesaver. I’ve presented with Dr. Horowitz and the team on several occasions and I interviewed Dr. Abernathy who was the first doctor to integrate this tool in private practice.
This podcast is with Dr. Lia Gaggino about how physicians, PCPs, pediatricians, family doctors, internists can integrate this tool within their practice. Kids (and even adults) who struggle with thoughts of suicide want to be asked. They want to tell and we need to invite them to tell. The doctor’s office is the ideal place to ask because that’s where continuity of care can be established to keep that child safe from suicide. So while this is a podcast focused on pediatricians and pediatric nurses and other caregivers, it has a large audience of parents, too. So ask your pediatrician if they are using a suicide risk screening tool. NOT just the PHQ-9 which is a depression screening.
That tool could miss a child at risk for suicide. And the ASQ takes twenty seconds to administer.
Resources and other related links:
- Pediatric Meltdown Podcast with Anne Moss Rogers: Talking About Suicide With Our Patients: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
- NIMH ASQ Suicide Screening Tool and pathways
- Pediatric and Adolescent Health Partners combined mental health, depression, and suicide screening tool (pdf, one minute screen)
- Pediatric and Adolescent Health Partners Parent handout and survey form for suicide screening pdf
- Pediatric and Adolescent Health Partners editable suicide statistics handout, word doc, (download, update, add your own logo into the template)
- Presentation team at Pediatric Academic Societies 2019 conference
- Zero Suicide is a Transformational Framework for Health and Behavioral Health Care Systems
- All ASQ Suicide Screening Tool posts on this site
