9 Step Self-Safety Abolition Plan

While it might be painful to consider, our loved ones may consider harming themselves. This is a guide to supporting people in distress while also upholding abolitionist belief that involving the state and state-aligned groups (ie: police, non-profits, emergency rooms) may be more endangering. It’s for this reason that I try to put as much space between my clients and the state no matter their emergency and encourage others to do so as well. I’m sharing this resource in the hopes that other mental health professionals and community members consider ways to care for one another and making the police a last resort. This plan is specific to services offered in Philadelphia, PA and local resources should be modified for your city and state. It is also a living document and my hope is it will grow- please! write with additional steps at my contact page and I’ll be glad to credit and link to you.

If someone is a danger to themself…

1. VALIDATION + CONNECTION: offer a validating connection with your client and clarify whether this is a crisis or a difficult time. Support regardless, if a difficult time, plan for the next time to speak/meet in the future and talk through a care plan in the meantime. If this is an immediate crisis > step two

2. DE-ESCALATION: call or text a short-term, three-step safety plan. (1) De-escalate using harm reduction (ie: can they get someplace safe? If not, are they willing to do lesser harm to self?) (2) find hope (ie: do they have a pet or friend they can think of?), and/or, (3) co-create grounding (ie: are they able to wrap themselves tightly in a blanket?). Find a time together to check in the next day. If de-escalation is not possible > step three

3. ORIGINAL SAFETY PLAN: text or call with client’s self-identified safety plan from their original intake or what is known from work together. Ask for a response for confirmation. Let them know you’ll reach out to emergency contacts if you don’t hear from them by a certain time. If they decide that they want to move forward with self- harm, can they agree to check-in after? If no response > step four

4. CALL EC1: Call Emergency Contact #1: make a plan to call or visit client depending on what clients wants, or if this is not clear, what you and the emergency contact decide together. If they are not available > step five

5. CALL EC2: Call Emergency Contact #2: make a plan to call or visit client depending on what clients wants, or if this is not clear, what you and the emergency contact decide together. If they are not available > step six

6. OFFER A HOTLINE: to client and ask for a one word confirmation that they have received this. When possible, advise clients not to give identifying information given the dangers of hotline data sharing

a. Suicide (non-carceral): Thrive Lifeline Text 313-662-8209 Available Wed night – Thur mornings, between 1:30am – 7:30am EST

b. Suicide Crisis Text Line: Text HOME or HOLA to 741-741 Available 24/7

c. Suicide Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 Available 24/7

d. Suicide AMALA Muslim Youth Hopeline: 855-952-6252 Available 6 PM – 10 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

e. Suicide The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386: Text START to 678678 Available 24/7

LGBTQ young people ages 13-24

f. Suicide Suicide Intervention For Weirdos, Freaks, And Queers Zine Available 24/7

g. Suicide Teenline 1-800-852-8336 Text TEEN to 839863 Available 9 pm to 1 am EST emotional support from other teens

h. Suicide Call 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline Available 24/7 (may call police)

i. Addiction Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line: Call: 1-888-407-4515 Available 7pm to 9pm Mond - Thurs and 7pm-10pm Fri – Sun

j. Psychedelics Fireside Project: 623-473-7433 (Call or text) Available 2:00 pm - 2:00am Support during and after psychedelic experiences.

k. IPV/DV/SA Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline: 866-723-3014 Available 24/7

l. IPV/DV/SA The Network/La Red 617-742-4911 Available 24/7

m. IPV/DV/SA StrongHearts Native Helpline 844-762-8483 Available 24/7

n. Elder Abuse PA Dept of Aging: 800-490-8505 Available 24/7

o. Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, and DeafBlind 321-800-3323 (Videophone) crisis line ASL Available 24/7

p. Pregnancy National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 833-852-6262 Available 24/7

q. Pregnancy and Adoption Baby Safe Haven: 888-510-2229 Safe Haven Infant Protection Laws enable a person to give up an infant anonymously

If no response > step seven

7. CALL A PEER: call a colleague you trust to get perspective before calling the state. Note that this is a floating step that may be done at any time. If an outside opinion doesn’t offer another possibility > step eight

8. CALL DBHIDS Behavioral Health Emergency Line: (215) 685-6440 Available 24/7

Call this number if you are located in Philadelphia and need to (1) speak with a mental health delegate (2) need emergency assistance for a child, such as finding an ER/CRC that serves children (3) need the Mobile Emergency Team to come out to your location to assess a behavioral health emergency or (4) are not sure what resource you need but, know it is related to mental health, suicide, or substance use.

If the amount of time endangers the person’s safety > step nine

9. CALL POLICE: Make every attempt to inform the client that you are calling the police before you do so. When calling the police, request a “wellness check.”

Nine Step Abolition Plan PDF

Abolitionist Care Resources

AntiCarceral Crisis and Safety Planning Guide – fill this out with clients

Transformative Mutual Aid Practices (T-MAPs) - fill this out with clients

Pod-Mapping – fill this out with clients

Fireweed Collective Crisis Toolkit – resources for you and client to consider

Psychiatric Advanced Directives – fill this out with clients

Treatment not Trauma Coalition – Abolitionist policy reform coalition in Philadelphia

Defund the Police - Invest in Community Care - A Guide to Alternative Mental Health Crisis Responses – Advocacy guide for non-police mental health crisis responses

Inclusive Therapist List of Harms of Carceral Involvement - Quick facts about police involvement in mental health emergencies

Mia Mingus and Cara Page’s Visual of Medical Industrial Complex Involvement in harm

Don’t Call the Police – list of programs throughout USA