The Suicide Prevention Resource Center has released a guide called Caring for Adult Patients with Suicide Risk: A Consensus Guide for Emergency Departments to help healthcare professionals.

The guide gives decision support, and discharge planning instructions when adults have been identified as having a risk of suicide.

Suicides are the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. There are 17 suicide deaths per every 100,000 for seniors between ages 75 to 84.

“EDs are a first line of defense in the care of adult patients at risk for suicide,” said Jerry Reed, Ph.D., MSW, director of SPRC and vice president at Education Development Center, Inc.

The ED Guide is endorsed by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, American Association of Suicidology, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.