Award-winning Suicide Prevention Team
The Suicide Prevention Team manages the caseload of Veteran patients designated as “high risk” for suicide, which requires frequent monitoring of mental status and suicide risk, and assessment of risk or mitigating factors.
The Suicide Prevention Team was recently awarded the 2013 Patient Safety Hero Award by the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety. This group manages the Suicide Prevention Program at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center, created in response to statistical evidence showing high rates of suicide among returning service members. This group works with numerous areas of the medical center to make sure that Veterans are identified as “high risk” for suicide, when appropriate, and that Veteran's care and condition are monitored and tracked. The team members include Travis Field, Judi Green, and Christina McNeely.
The Suicide Prevention Team manages the caseload of Veteran patients designated as “high risk” for suicide, which requires frequent monitoring of mental status and suicide risk, and assessment of risk or mitigating factors. They work with Pharmacy Service to set limits on refills and the actual number of pills dispensed to “high risk” patients to reduce the availability of medication for overdose purposes. They respond to our Veterans who have called the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, press 1).
Mr. Field authored the first comprehensive suicide prevention policy for the medical center. He gives suicide prevention awareness, intervention, and prevention training to all levels of staff. Mr. Field, Ms. McNeely, and Ms. Green also regularly give presentations to community agencies on the management of suicidal behavior, including information on how to access services at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. The Suicide Prevention Team also provides suicide prevention awareness and policy review and training to both clinical and non-clinical sections of the Indianapolis VAMC and community based VA clinics.
Over the past few years, the Indianapolis VA Medical Center has had several actual situations where the rapid response and coordinated intervention of this team has resulted in saving the life of the Veteran in crisis.
Suicide Prevention is an important patient safety endeavor and we salute our award winners.
