Suicide risk screening tools may be used by healthcare, mental health, and other appropriately trained professionals to identify children and adolescents who may need further suicide risk assessment. A positive screen does not by itself determine level of risk or disposition. Any positive screen should be followed by additional assessment and an appropriate safety response.
Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) – NIMH
A brief 4-item suicide risk screening tool designed for medical and other clinical settings. A positive response is followed by an additional question about current suicidal thoughts and, when indicated, a brief suicide safety assessment.
Ages: Youth version may be used for ages 8–24
Completed by: Youth, with questions administered by staff
Time: less than 2 minutes
Languages: Multiple translations are available through the NIMH ASQ Toolkit.
Important: NIMH provides separate clinical pathways and follow-up assessment tools for emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screener
A brief screening tool used to identify suicidal thoughts and behaviors and help guide next steps based on level of concern. Versions are available for healthcare, outpatient, school, and other settings, including a version with developmentally adapted language for children ages 6–11.
Ages: Standard versions are used with adolescents and children age 6 and older; additional versions are available for younger children and specific populations.
Completed by: May be administered by healthcare, mental health, school, community, and other trained personnel.
Training: Formal mental health training is not required, although the Columbia Lighthouse Project recommends training before use.
Assessment & Triage
NIMH Youth Brief Suicide Safety Assessment
A structured follow-up assessment for youth who screen positive on the ASQ. It guides further assessment of current suicidal thoughts, plans, past behavior, symptoms, stressors, supports, access to lethal means, safety planning, and appropriate disposition.
SAFE-T: Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage – SAMHSA
A clinical framework for evaluating suicide risk, identifying risk and protective factors, assessing suicidal thoughts and behavior, determining level of risk and appropriate intervention, and documenting a follow-up plan.
