Page 113 - 2022 Ranger Medic Handbook

Assessment & Management of Suicidal Risk (cont.)

Table 3: Protective Factors
Capacities, qualities, environmental, and personal resources that increase resilience; drive an individual toward
growth, stability, and/or health and/or to increase coping with different life.
Social Context Support System
Strong interpersonal bonds to family/unit members and community support
• Employed
• Intact marriage
• Child-rearing responsibilities
• Responsibilities/duties to others
• A reasonably safe and stable environment SECTION 3
Positive Personal Traits
• Help seeking
• Good impulse control
• Good skills in problem-solving, coping and conflict resolution
• Sense of belonging, sense of identity, and good self-esteem
• Cultural, spiritual, and religious beliefs about the meaning and value of life
• Optimistic outlook – Identification of future goals
• Constructive use of leisure time (enjoyable activities)
• Resilience
Access to Healthcare
• Support through ongoing medical and mental healthcare relationships
• Effective clinical care for mental, physical, and substance use disorders
• Good treatment engagement and sense of the importance of health and wellness
Table 4: Level of Risk for Suicide
Risk for
Suicide Attempt Indicators for Suicide Risk Contributing Factors
High Risk • Persistent suicidal ideation or thoughts • Acute state of psychiatric disorder or
• Strong intention to act or plan acute psychiatric symptoms
• Not able to control impulse • Acute precipitating event(s)
OR • Inadequate protective factors
• Recent suicide attempt
Intermediate Risk • Current suicidal ideation or thoughts • Existence of warning signs or risk factors
• No intention to act AND
• Able to control the impulse
• No recent attempt or preparatory • Limited protective factors
behavior or rehearsal of act
Low Risk • Recent suicidal ideation or thoughts • Existence of protective factors
• No intention to act or plan AND
• Able to control the impulse
• No planning or rehearsing a suicide act • Limited risk factors
• No previous attempt

2022 RANGER MEDIC HANDBOOK 99