Clinical Safety
Suicide Risk Assessment Template for Therapists
Document ideation, intent, plan, means, and protective factors with a structured risk assessment that classifies Low, Moderate, or High risk.
This template organizes a suicide-risk assessment. It is a documentation aid only — not a substitute for clinical judgment. If the client is in immediate danger, follow your practice protocol and contact emergency services.
Client & context
Identify the assessment and the clinician completing it.
Ideation
Frequency, duration, and intensity of suicidal thoughts.
Plan, means, and intent
Document whether a plan is present and access to means.
Protective factors & impression
Protective factors and your overall clinical impression of risk.
Finalize and print
Validate required fields, then print or save as PDF.
Risk assessment
Risk level is computed from the responses you enter.
Suicide risk assessment
Client: —
Clinician: —
Date: —
Complete required fields to generate the structured assessment.
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Open toolWhat this suicide risk assessment template helps you do
Suicide risk assessments need to be both thorough and calm. This template organizes the questions around ideation, plan, means, intent, prior attempts, and protective factors, then maps the responses to a Low, Moderate, or High risk level.
Use it during sessions where risk factors emerge, after a positive PHQ-9 item 9, or when status changes between sessions. Document the assessment, your clinical impression, and the next steps before the client leaves the session.
Use it when you need to
- Document a structured risk assessment after a positive PHQ-9 item 9.
- Reassess risk after a change in status or a crisis disclosure.
- Show reviewers and supervisors that risk is assessed at every clinically appropriate touchpoint.
- Pair the assessment with an updated Stanley-Brown safety plan when risk is elevated.
FAQ
Questions therapists ask before using this calculator
What should a suicide risk assessment always include?
Document the presence, frequency, duration, and intensity of ideation; whether a plan is present and what it is; access to means; stated intent; prior attempts; and protective factors. Always include your clinical impression and next steps.
Is this template a substitute for a clinical interview?
No. This template is a documentation aid. It organizes the questions and structure of a risk assessment, but the clinical interview and your professional judgment drive the level of care and follow-up plan.
What is the difference between low, moderate, and high risk?
Low risk typically means no current ideation, plan, intent, or means. Moderate risk includes ideation, vague plan, or limited access to means. High risk includes active ideation with a plan, intent, or means access, or recent attempt — and warrants immediate protective action.
When is it appropriate to break confidentiality?
When a client poses an imminent danger to themselves or others, you may break confidentiality to protect them. Follow your state laws and practice policy, document the rationale, and coordinate with emergency services when needed.
What should I do after a high-risk assessment?
Take immediate protective action: do not leave the client alone if feasible, activate supports, contact emergency services or 988, and consider hospitalization. Document every step and update the safety plan before discharge.