Dr. Butch Losey

When a client expresses suicidal thoughts, thoughts of harming someone else, or other serious safety concerns, clinicians appropriately turn to risk assessment. We ask about thoughts, intent, plans, access to lethal means, previous behavior, protective factors, and other indicators of risk. Evidence-based assessment tools can provide important structure to this process. But effective risk assessment requires more than completing the right questions on a form. Safety exists wi