Recommendations for Families

1. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) for support. This hotline is free and accessible around the clock for yourselves as well as your child.
2. Reduce easy access to dangerous substances at home. That includes, but is not limited to:

1. Firearms - They are the most lethal among suicide methods, it is particularly important that you remove them until things improve at home, or, second best lock them very securely
2. Medications - Don’t keep lethal doses at home. Your doctor, pharmacist, or the poison control center (1-800-222-1222) may be able to help you determine safe quantities for the medicines you need to keep on hand. Be particularly aware of keeping prescription painkillers (such as oxycodone and methadone) under lock and key both because of their lethality and their potential for abuse.
3. Alcohol - Alcohol can both increase the chance that a person makes and unwise choice, like attempting suicide, and increase the lethality of a drug overdose. Keep only small quantities at home or out of reach of children.

Emergency Contact Information

• Scranton Counseling Center now has a Mobile Crisis Team that will respond to a school or home if a child has threatened self-harm. Families can request a response from this team as opposed to going to the SCC crisis center or to the ER, by calling 570-348-6100.
• There is also a national crisis line that will be answered 24/7 by a trained professional for families to use in the event of a crisis. 1-800-273-TALK. A professional can also be reached for immediate assistance by texting 714-741. 
• Lackawanna County also has 211 help line up and running.  By dialing 211 a person is connected to a resource data base for a variety of needs/problems.