A Summary Of Josie's Case Study

After studying Josie’s case study it has become apparent that there are several key risk factors that are impacting this case and need to be addressed in order to successfully advocate for this young girl. The first risk factor that stands out when looking at this case is the statement that Josie made about being depressed and not caring about living anymore. According to studies that have been done, “at least 90% of children who kill themselves have some type of mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse, or a behavior problem” ( healthychildren.org, 2015). Josie has already stated that she is depressed, which puts her at higher risk for suicidal behavior. A suicide assessment needs to be done immediately in order to …show more content…
Once her risk for suicidal behavior has been determined then appropriate measures can be taken to ensure her safety. Depending upon Josie’s mental maturity I would sit down and talk to her about how she feels and try to put a suicide plan into place that she will agree to abide by. However, if the suicide assessment determines that she is imminent danger of attempting suicide then it would be necessary to have her transported to a mental health care facility that is capable of working with suicidal children. Once the immediate danger of suicide is dealt with, a long-term treatment protocol needs to be implemented. The American Psychological Associate states that “it is important for a child who is contemplating suicide to seek professional help, which can include counseling, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy” (Kaslow, 2014).
Once the problem of depression and suicide has been addressed then other risk factors must be considered in Josie’s case. The second risk factor for Josie is the fact