Managing ongoing suicidality in young people diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder

Assessing and managing ongoing suicidality can be a particularly daunting task for clinicians. There is the need to balance issues regarding confidentiality and duty of care, while maintaining engagement and rapport, as well as undertaking ongoing self-management planning to manage suicidality and providing appropriate psychosocial interventions.

This clinical practice point is designed to help clinicians who work with young people diagnosed with MDD and may be at risk of suicide to:

  • engage young people who are suicidal
  • assess suicidality in young people
  • develop a self-management plan to manage suicidality 
  • gain an understanding of the role of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of suicidality
  • manage ongoing suicidality
  • understand the importance of self-care in clinicians.