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TABLE 2  Acute Suicide Risk 15
              Stratification           High acute risk          Intermediate acute risk        Low acute risk
              Essential features  Current suicidal ideation with   Current suicidal ideation with lack of   No current suicidal ideation
                                intent and plan, recent attempt  intent and ability to agree to safety plan,   or plan, no recent preparatory
                                                         lack of preparatory behaviors  behaviors
              Recommended actions  Psychiatric hospitalization, direct  Consider psychiatric hospitalization if risk   Can be managed in primary care,
                                observation              factors responsive to hospitalization   outpatient mental health if co-
                                                                                        occurring conditions exist

              TABLE 3  Chronic Suicide Risk 15
              Stratification          High chronic risk        Intermediate chronic risk      Low chronic risk
              Essential features  Chronic suicidal ideation and   Similar to high chronic risk group in terms  Lack of history of chronic
                                mental health disorder, history of  of history but presence of protective factors  suicidal ideation or behaviors
                                suicide attempts
              Recommended actions  Routine mental health follow-up,  Routine mental health follow-up, well-  Primary care or mental health
                                well-articulated safety plan (with  articulated safety plan (with restriction   follow on as needed basis
                                restriction of lethal means)   lethal means)

              BOX 4  Combat Psychiatric Care Algorithm           Disclosures
              If patient is:                                     The author has no potential competing interests to disclose.
              • Non-agitated & nonpsychotic  PIES  STAY IN THEATER  Disclaimer
              • Agitated & nonpsychotic  verbal de-escalation and/or   The views expressed in this article are of the author and do
                benzodiazepine then PIES  STAY IN THEATER or consider
                MEDEVAC                                          not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the 2nd
              • Non-agitated & psychotic/manic  antipsychotic  MEDEVAC  Medical Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, United States
              • Agitated & psychotic/manic  antipsychotic and/or restraints    Marine Corps, Department of Navy, Department of Defense,
                MEDEVAC                                          or the U.S. Government.
              • Suicidal thoughts  PIES  STAY IN THEATER or consider
                MEDEVAC                                          Funding
              • Suicidal behaviors PIES  MEDEVAC               No funding was received for this work.
              • Malingering  PIES  STAY IN THEATER
              MEDEVAC = medical evacuation; PIES = Proximity, Immediacy, Ex-  References
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              Limitations of this proposal include the lack of randomized   prolonged field care environment. Mil Rev. 2021;101(5):54–64.
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                                                                    -stress-reaction
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              ical evacuations and preservation of the force.       sociation for Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA De-escalation

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