Suicide is defined as the deliberate taking of one's own life. The causes of suicide are often difficult to establish. In the United States suicide is arguably the ninth leading cause of death. About twice as many women attempt suicide in comparison to men, however, most successful suicides are by men. National and worldwide suicide rates have been rising.

Medical views of suicide often consider suicide to be a mental health issue. Yet, relatively few mental health professionals conduct suicide evaluations or screenings. Most physicians and mental health professionals would agree that all patients do not have to be screened for suicide. But what about seriously depressed and emotionally disturbed patients? It is the mental health professional's responsibility to incorporate adequate suicidal screening in such patient's treatment. A growing consensus of judges, litigators and mental health experts say it is.

In almost every suicidal act, there are hints of suicidal thinking before the individual attempts suicide. yet, one of the major obstacles in suicide prevention is not remediation, rather it is in "identification." Most people that contemplate suicide are acutely aware of their intentions. Suicidal people usually give many hints of their intentions. It has been shown that many suicidal acts stem from a sense of emotional isolation interacting with some intolerable emotion. Many believe suicide is an act to stop an intolerable existence. Unfortunately, each of us defines "intolerable" in our own way. Yet, in almost every case there are precursors to suicide.

The "Suicide Evaluation" is designed to help mental health professionals identify suicidal patients that are at risk of taking their own lives. It has demonstrated reliability and validity. The Suicidal Evaluation consists of 142 items and takes 25 to 30 minutes to complete. Within 2 ½ minutes of entering the client's 142 answers into a computer, the suicide evaluation is scored, interpreted, and the report is printed. The mental health professional now has an objective second opinion regarding their patient's suicide potential. Still, no test is perfect and that is why the Suicide Evaluation augments the mental health professional's judgment and experience.

To accurately identify suicidal individuals we need to combine separate symptoms into our analysis when no one symptom by itself would be a good suicide predictor. And to a large extent that is what the Suicide Evaluation does. For example, when you have an elevated (70th percentile and higher) Suicide Scale score, particularly if it is in the Severe Problem (90th to 100th percentile) range, the evaluator should consider suicide a possibility and take appropriate steps. When another Suicide Evaluation scale (Depression, Alcohol, Drugs, Stress Coping Abilities) score is also elevated suicide risk greatly increases. In other words the higher the Suicide Scale score and/or when other scale scores are also elevated the possibility of suicide greatly increases.

The Suicide Evaluation integrates a variety of relevant factors into a suicide profile. These factors include, but are not limited to predictors like a person's thoughts (suicidal ideation), verbal clues ("I just want to give up and end it"), suicidal instruments (razors, pills, guns), moods (emotional isolation, depression), traumatic events (loss of employment, death of a loved one, etc.), substance (alcohol and other drugs) abuse, impaired stress handling abilities (overwhelmed), history (prior attempts, hospitalizations, etc.) and having a suicide plan. It would be difficult and take a great deal of the counselor's, therapist's or mental health professional's time to do a complete suicide evaluation interview.

This is why the Suicide Evaluation was developed. To provide mental health professionals with a timely (30 minutes), objective and standardized test that can be used as a screening or assessment instrument at intake, during counseling or treatment, and on an as needed basis. The Suicide Evaluation could serve as a second opinion to screen clients'/patients' suicidal predispositions. When suicidal risk is indicated the treatment provider would bring his/her experience, education and skills to bear to decide how to proceed. Consideration would be given to administering (or referring for) a very comprehensive individualized suicide-related evaluation, the need for intensified treatment (intensive outpatient or impatient), the need for patient supervision (suicide watch), other patient - family intervention measures, medication adjustment, and other actions as warranted.

Confidentiality: Suicide Evaluation test users are encouraged to delete client names. This proprietary "name deletion" procedure involves a few key strokes and insures client confidentiality as well as full compliance with HIPAA (Federal regulation 45 C.F.R 164.50) requirements. Once client names are deleted they are gone and cannot be retrieved. Deleting client names does not delete demographics or test data which goes into the cumulative Suicide Evaluation database for subsequent analysis and research. However, the client's name is permanently removed from diskettes, the Suicide Evaluation database and any future reports.

Suicide Evaluation screening filters out individuals with suicidal predispositions that may require further intervention, intensified treatment, further direct intervention or referral for suicide treatment services. This filtering system works as follows:

The Suicide Evaluation is offered in two different ways: 1. Behavior Data Systems (BDS) diskettes (www.bdsltd.com), and 2. Professional Online Testing Solutions, Inc. online (internet) testing platform (www.Online-Testing.com)

Behavior Data Systems (BDS) offers the Suicide Evaluation on 25 and 50 test diskettes. BDS's website (www.bdsltd.com) is one of the best sources of in depth Suicide Evaluation information. Upon arriving at www.bdsltd.com there are navigational links in the left margin of each webpage. Click on "Adult Tests" and then on "Alphabetically Listed." Then scroll down to the Suicide Evaluation. Click on the test's name and you will go to its webpage.

Professional Online Testing Solutions, Inc. is a subsidiary of BDS. It is BDS's online (internet) testing platform (www.Online-Testing.com). Upon arriving at www.online-testing.com there are navigational links in the left margin of each webpage. Click on "Available Tests" Scroll down the alphabetically listed tests until you come to Suicide Evaluation. Click on the tests name and you go directly to its webpage. Test-related materials are listed in the top right corner of the Suicide Evaluation webpage.

Both BDS (diskettes, www.bdsltd.com) and its online (internet) testing platform (internet testing, www.online-testing.com) offer visitors a free test. This is to enable evaluators the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the suicide evaluation and its two testing alternatives at no risk or expense.

In summary, the Suicide Evaluation enables mental health professionals, courts, probation departments, prisons, counseling programs, and treatment facilities to incorporate "suicide risk assessment" into their client, patient, defendant, probationer and offender suicide screening programs. The Suicide Evaluation blends into most intake and screening procedures and provides a helpful "second opinion" on an as needed basis.

Research Solicitation: An open invitation is extended to qualified researchers to use the Suicide Evaluation in their suicide-related studies. The Suicide Evaluation and related materials, date analysis (if desired) and summary research reports would be available at no cost to the researchers. Similar accommodations are extended to outpatient, inpatient and specialized suicide treatment facilities. Simply contact Behavior Data Systems, Ltd., P.O. Box 44256, Phoenix Arizona 85064-4256. BDS's Telephone number is (602) 234-3506 and our fax number is (602) 266-8227.

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