Miriam Parent, Ph.D.
Working with people in suicidal crisis is a very stressful and ethically complicated scenario. The ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice, fidelity, and veracity are important when dealing with individuals in regard to suicide. It is important to note that laws differ in each state when it comes to duty to warn/duty to protect and end of life legislation. There are several questions a people-helper should ask when deciding to break confidentiality in suicidal crisis. During ethical decision making, the people-helper should identify the problem
and potential issues involved, know and review all ethics codes, laws, regulations and policies, obtain consultation, consider all possible courses of action, choose what appears to be the best course and follow through, and document the process and outcomes.