Each Friday in February in the NBC4 News at 5, we’re talking to experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This week, we’re talking to Meredith Adams a clinical coordinator with the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Adams and her team are involved in the continuum of care, especially after a hospitalization due to a child or adolescent being in crisis, having suicidal thoughts or making a suicide attempt.
NCH says the first 30 days after hospital discharge are extremely important, as youth are vulnerable to the triggers that could cause a re-attempt.
It’s important for parents to understand what they can do to support their children by becoming a partner in creating and maintaining a safety plan—not only creating a safety plan, but actively carrying out your safety plan is very important, NCH experts say.
They add that knowing the triggers that could cause suicidal thoughts to reemerge and trigger another attempt is also vital.
Examples of potential triggers:
- Bullying
- Family or peer conflict
- Anxiety with taking a test
- Disappointment, such as not being selected for basketball team
- Feeling alone
RELATED: Celebrate the opening of the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion on March 1
CLICK HERE TO READ ALL OF NBC4i’s STORIES ON CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Resources:
If someone you care about is in an emergency, life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency department. For crisis situations that are not life-threatening, please call your county’s psychiatric crisis line number. In Franklin County, call (614) 722-1800 for youth and adolescents 17 and under. Ages 18 and older should call (614) 276-2273. If someone you care about is having thoughts of suicide or needs to talk, encourage them to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you prefer to text, you can text “START” to 741-741 where a live, trained specialist will respond back to you.
CLICK HERE for more on the signs your child might need therapy.
This content, in partnership with NBC4, is sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital
