Treatment of Patients Presenting With Suicidal Behavior in North American Pediatric Emergency Departments

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to identify current practices for the treatment of patients presenting with suicidal ideation or a recent suicide attempt in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in North America. Methods: From October 10, 2018, to January 19, 2020, the authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey on current practices of pediatric emergency medicine chiefs practicing in the United States and Canada. Results: Forty-six (34%) of 136 chiefs of pediatric emergency medicine responded to the survey. The three most frequent improvements chiefs reported they would like to see in the care of young patients with suicidal ideation or suicide attempt were easier access to mental health personnel for evaluations, having mental health personnel take primary responsibility for patient evaluation and treatment, and better access to mental health personnel for dispositional planning. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for better mental health care in pediatric EDs to serve patients at increased risk for suicide.