Suicide Risk Assessment: Increasing Credibility and Decreasing Culpability

Kenneth T. Morris, Ph.D.

Supervisor of Crisis Intervention Services

Saginaw County Mental Health Authority

500 Hancock Saginaw, MI 48602

(517) 791-3456

You are sitting quietly in your office. Your secretary rings you to inform you that there is a gentleman to see you. You ask her to send him in. Through your door walks a Process Server who hands you a subpoena. An ex-client of yours has committed suicide and his family is suing you for Incompetence, Negligence & Misfeasance and asking for ten million dollars. Are you prepared to defend yourself in court? Do you know how to stack the odds against being found culpable? Do you know what you will need to proof that you are competent? Most professionals have to answer "No", but do not fear. This workshop is designed to help you prepare yourself for the scenario described above.

Dr. Morris is a forensic suicidologist who will share with you what he has learned about how you can increase your being perceived as competent and, correspondingly, decrease the chances of being found culpable in such situations.

The presentation will address topics such as what do you need in your background for the court to deem you as competent; and how to avoid being guilty of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance and negligence. You will learn how to "Walk The Walk" and "Talk The Talk" concerning suicide assessment.

Audience participation is strongly encouraged as Dr. Morris discusses other topics such as standards of practice locally and nationally, educational needs, documentation issues, consultation requirements and how to survive an encounter with the opposing attorney and how to become an ally with the defense attorney.

Hopefully, you will never have to use what you learn in this workshop as you will be lucky enough to avoid being involved in such a suit. However, since suits based on suicide are frequent and are on the increase, it is absolutely essential that you know what is needed to stack the odds in your favor when and if you wind up in a court of law defending yourself.