SUICIDE INTERVENTION PLAN

Case Information
Joanne is a 45-year-old divorcee with a long history of depression. She has had three prior suicide attempts:
she has overdosed twice and attempted to slice her wrists. She sees a psychiatrist monthly and is prescribed
medication. She is not compliant with her medication. She works a high stress job (60–70-hour week) and has
no hobbies. She finds all her satisfaction in her work. She has not dated since her divorce 15 years ago. The
divorce was due to her husband admitting to being a homosexual. One child is from that marriage, a 13-yearold daughter. Seven years ago, Joanne had an affair with her sister’s husband. Her sister never found out and
Joanne ended the relationship after a year because of guilt, but the husband continues to pursue her. Joanne
comes by your office unexpectedly to tell you how much she appreciates you and just wants you to know how
important you are to her. In further questioning, she admits to having a gun in her car. She refuses to stay and
talk. She “just wants to go for a drive.”
The following areas must be addressed:
1 Describe the presenting problem and identify the immediate crisis. Address every detail that indicates the
imminent nature of this client’s plan.
2 Identify the precipitating event(s).
3 List in detail all the risk factors in this current situation and clearly explain why this is a VERY HIGH-risk
client.
4 Identify the material, personal, and social resources available to the individual and the challenges related.
5 Give a step-by-step intervention plan for the given crisis and the VERY HIGH-RISK client. Suggest several
interventions that this person needs in the next 3 months. After stabilization, what does the focus of therapy
need to be?
6 Discuss any spiritually based aspects related to the crisis. Be sure to cite references you use.
7 Using Kolski et al. as a guide, formulate a treatment plan personalized to the problems and interventions
based on this case. Remember, everything you have reported will be justification for your treatment plan. Make
sure you cover all of the issues that you mentioned prior to creating your treatment plan. This is a form of
checks and balances, reviewing all the symptoms noted and formulating a plan to treat.