CENTRE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

POLICY & PROCEDURE

Section:

IV

Effective Date: 8-1-05

Suicide Prevention

Document #: 415
I.

Policy:To make every effort to prevent suicidal gestures/attempts and suicide in the
facility by identifying, monitoring, and responding to potentially suicidal
individuals.

II.

Source:
37 Pa. Code 95.232 Medical and Health Services
(ACA) 4-ALDF-2A-43; 4-ALDF-2A-52; 4-ALDF-4C-29; 4-ALDF-4C-30
4-ALDF-4C-32; 4-ALDF-4C-33; 4-ALDF-7B-10
(NCCHC 2008) J-G-05
(PrimeCare) CTR-G-05
(CCCF P/P) 207: Inmate Death; 303: Response

III.

Procedure:

Training and Assessment

1. All staff who have inmate contact will receive initial and yearly training in Suicide
Prevention and Intervention. This will include at least the following: verbal and behavioral
clues that indicate potential suicide, how to respond to suicidal inmates, suicide prevention
screening, suicide watch and psychiatric observation levels, and current policies/directives.
2. Both Medical and Corrections staff can refer potentially suicidal inmates for mental health
assessment. Suicidal behaviors or indications should be reported to the Shift Commander
immediately, who will inform the Medical staff and take appropriate actions. The staff
member will submit an incident report detailing the concerns.
3. An initial suicide screening is conducted by the Intake officer during the inmates
commitment process. This is done utilizing the Offender Management System (OMSe) tab
labeled Suicide Assessment.
a. If an inmate scores an eight (8) or higher on the screening questionnaire, he/she will
be placed on a Level 1 suicide watch until evaluated by a mental health professional.
b. The Intake officer will notify the Shift Commander.
c. The Intake officer will make arrangements for the inmate to be appropriately
searched, clothed, and housed.
d. The Shift Commander will notify the following by email: Warden, Deputy Wardens,
Director of Treatment, Shift Commanders, all Medical staff, the facility MH/ID/EID&A liaison, and all Counselors.

4. A second suicide screening is conducted by the Nurse during the inmates initial commitment
screening. This is done utilizing the CorEMR Electronic Medical Records system.
a. If an inmate scores an eight (8) or higher on the screening questionnaire, and is not on
a Level 1 suicide watch already, he/she will be placed on a Level 1 suicide watch
until evaluated by a mental health professional.
b. If the inmate was not already on a Level 1 suicide watch, the Nurse will call the Shift
Commander and request a Corrections Officer to escort the inmate to be appropriately
searched, clothed, and housed.
c. The Nurse will place a Suicide Watch Level 1 alert on the OMS tab labeled
Alerts, if not already active.
d. The Nurse will notify the following by email: Warden, Deputy Wardens, Director of
Treatment, Shift Commanders, all Medical staff, the facility MH/ID/EI-D&A liaison,
and all Counselors.
5. Staff members trained by the Centre County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) may be utilized
as needed to speak to inmates in crisis.
6. Centre County Can Help Mobile Crisis (Can Help) can be called on a 24 hour basis to
provide inmates in crisis an individual to speak to about any issues. If an inmate wishes to
speak to Can Help, the staff member should contact the Shift Commander, who will call Can
Help for appropriate situations. Can Help will make the facility aware of any
recommendations for monitoring or referral of the inmate.
Suicide Watch Levels
Any change to an inmates precautions, watch level, or housing will be communicated in writing
and/or by email. When an inmates suicide watch level has been modified, the Shift Commander
on duty will make appropriate changes to the Alerts tab in OMS.
All inmates on suicide watch will be restrained when removed from his/her cell. For movement
within the housing unit, handcuffs will be applied behind the back and double locked. For
movement outside of the housing unit, handcuffs will be applied in front with the restraint belt,
shackles will be applied, and both will be double locked. Additional restrictions may be
implemented by a Shift Commander or higher as necessary for the safety of staff, inmates, and
visitors.
All inmates on suicide precautions will receive one 15 minute shower per day. Once placed in
the shower with the locking gate, the inmate will be given the following items from indigent
supplies to use while showering:
1 Security toothbrush and toothpaste
1 Bar of soap or All-In-One
1 Towel
Inmates on suicide precautions are NEVER ALLOWED ACCESS TO
RAZORS

Inmates on any suicide precaution will not be allowed visits, phone calls, commissary, writing
materials, recreation, or to attend facility programming.
Level 1: Suicide Watch
Level 1 suicide watch is for inmates who express suicidal ideation, have a plan to commit
suicide, or have recently attempted suicide or other self-harming behaviors. Inmates who score
and eight (8) or higher in the Intake of Medical Intake suicide screening will be placed on a
Level 1 suicide watch. Inmates on a Level 1 suicide watch will remain with this level of
precautions until stepped down by order of the psychiatrist or licensed social worker.
The inmate will be placed in an appropriate observation cell, and the lights will remain on at all
times. The inmate is required to keep their head uncovered so as to be visible to the officer at all
times.
Inmates on Level 1 receive:
Suicide smock
Suicide blanket
Shower shoes
A reasonable amount of toilet paper issued when needed
Meals served on Styrofoam, finger foods only. No utensils provided.
Hygiene supplies, such as toothbrush, toothpaste, and toilet paper are stored for the
inmate. Hygiene items may only be used when requested from the corrections officer,
who will closely supervise their use.
Eyeglasses, dentures, prosthetic devised, and wheelchairs may only be permitted if
ordered by the psychiatrist and approved by facility administration.
Staff shall observe the inmate at random, staggered intervals not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes.
The checks will verify flesh and movement. All checks will be logged in OMS and on a Suicide
Watch Log. At the conclusion of each day, the log will be submitted to the Shift Commander for
review. The Shift Commander will then forward to the Medical department for filing.
Level 2: Suicide Watch
Level 2 suicide watch is for inmates who have displayed abnormal depression, bizarre or
aberrant behavior where not suicide attempt or verbalization has been made, and as a step-down
from Level 1 suicide watch. Inmates on a Level 2 watch will be evaluated by the facility MH/ID
liaison and/or a licensed social worker through the facility medical provider. When the MH/ID
liaison and/or licensed social worker believe the inmate may be removed from a Level 2 watch,
he/she will speak to the Shift Commander on duty and a decision will be made collectively. An
inmate removed from Level 2 watch will follow up with the psychiatrist on the next scheduled
visit.
The inmate will be placed in an appropriate observation cell, and the lights will remain on at all
times. The inmate is required to keep their head uncovered so as to be visible to the officer at all
times.
3

Inmates on Level 2 receive:

Solid red jumpsuit (male)/Solid red separates(female)
Blanket
Mattress
Shower shoes
A reasonable amount of toilet paper issued when needed
Meals served on Styrofoam, finger foods only. No utensils provided.
Hygiene supplies, such as toothbrush, toothpaste, and toilet paper are stored for the
inmate. Hygiene items may only be used when requested from the corrections officer,
who will closely supervise their use.
Eyeglasses, dentures, prosthetic devised, and wheelchairs may only be permitted if
ordered by the psychiatrist and approved by facility administration.
Staff shall observe the inmate at random, staggered intervals not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes.
The checks will verify flesh and movement. All checks will be logged in OMS and on a Suicide
Watch Log. At the conclusion of each day, the log will be submitted to the Shift Commander for
review. The Shift Commander will then forward to the Medical department for filing
Suicide Attempts and Completed Suicides
1.

Any staff member witnessing a suicide attempt should immediately radio Central Control
for a Code Blue in the area of the facility. (Ex: Central, Code Blue in the A2 Housing
Unit) The response team handles the incident appropriately, refer to facility Policy 303:
Response.

2.

Notifications In the event of a suicide attempt or completed suicide, notifications will

be made as soon as possible following the event.
a. The Shift Commander will notify the On Call Administrator, who will notify the
Warden. The Warden will notify the entire prison board. If the suicide was completed,
facility Policy 207: Inmate Death will be followed.
b. If Medical staff is present, the Nurse will notify the Health Services Administrator as
soon as possible. In the absence of Medical staff, the Shift Commander assumes this
responsibility.

3.

Critical Incident Debrief and Review - In all situations involving suicide attempts and
completed suicides, a Critical Incident Debrief will be conducted within 14 days. All affected
staff and inmates will be provided an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings,
develop an understanding of critical stress symptoms, and develop ways of dealing with
those symptoms. This may occur in one or more group settings and/or individual meetings.
Remedial action will be taken on identified policy, staff performance, environment, and
system failures that may have contributed to the suicide attempt or completed suicide.

4.

Reporting All staff members witnessing a suicide attempt or completed suicide will file
an incident report with all relevant information. All suicide attempts and completed suicides

will be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections on an Extraordinary

Occurrence Report.
Transport/Transfer of Suicide Watches
If an inmate on suicide watch with be transported by or transferred to another agency, the
Intake/Release officers will ensure that the transporting officers are made aware of the suicide
watch status.
Revised Date:
Reviewed Date:

3/10/2015
3/10/2015

_____________________________________________
Richard C. Smith MS, CCHP, Warden

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Date

_____________________________________________
Chris Exarchos, Chairman, Centre County Prison Board

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Date