Which elements constitute an effective safety plan for a patient at risk of suicide?

• A. List favorite activities, schedule therapy sessions, and ignore access to means.
• B. Focus solely on pharmacological treatment adjustments.
• C. Only identify emergency contacts.
• D. Identify warning signs, coping strategies, contact persons, steps to reduce access to means, plus emergency contacts.

Answer: (D)

A safety plan for someone at risk of suicide is a concrete, personalized toolkit that helps the person recognize warning signs, use coping strategies, know who to reach for help, take steps to reduce access to means, and have immediate emergency contacts ready. This combination is essential because it covers both in-the-moment coping and practical measures to prevent an impulsive act. The option that includes warning signs, coping strategies, contact persons, steps to reduce access to means, and emergency contacts provides a complete framework for staying safe during a crisis.

Options that focus only on medication, or only on emergency contacts, miss critical elements—medication adjustments alone don’t address crisis management; emergency contacts without warning signs or means reduction leave the person unprepared to handle urges; and ignoring access to means is unsafe.