A safety plan is a personalized guide that helps individuals manage their mental health when they experience negative thoughts and strong feelings. It includes identifying triggers, developing helpful techniques when feeling overwhelmed, and creating a list of supportive people to contact. Research shows that it can reduce the stress of decision-making, especially when they find it difficult to think clearly.
The Safety Plan Worksheet is a tool that teaches clients to create a personalized plan to manage their mental health. Clients need to fill out sections asking about their warning signs, activities that help them feel better, and more. This product comes with two versions of the safety plan - a 3-page My Personal Safety Plan, and 2-page My Safety Plan worksheet. Each version comes with a signature page to act as a contract for safety.
Completing and consistently following their safety plans will make kids and teens feel more prepared in handling tough situations, and become more resilient. Adults should regularly assess the risk of a crisis and offer support as needed. They can also help the child update their plan based on what works for them.
*This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed.
Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of depression worksheets and handouts.
References:
- Birmaher, B., Brent, D. A., & Benson, R. S. (1998). Summary of the practice parameters for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with depressive disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(11), 1234-1238. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199811000-00029
- Kayman, D. J., Goldstein, M. F., Wilsnack, J., & Goodman, M. (2016). Safety planning for suicide prevention. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 3(4), 411-420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-016-0099-0
- Stewart, S. L., Celebre, A., Hirdes, J. P., & Poss, J. W. (2020). Risk of suicide and self-harm in kids: The development of an algorithm to identify high-risk individuals within the children’s mental health system. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 51(6), 913-924. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-00968-9
