Supporting Mental Health Professionals After a Patient Suicide: A Delphi Consensus Study

Mental health professionals must contend with the troubling possible outcome of patient suicide death (PSD). Although it has been established that exposure to PSD causes various adverse emotional and cognitive experiences for MHPs, little is known about the actions organizational leaders can take to support them through it. A Delphi consensus study gathered feedback from 17 professionals with workplace postvention experiences to learn what supports are known to exist, which are believed to be important, and what barriers impede this support. The study yielded essential considerations to guide organizational leaders in supporting MHPs. Its fundamental implications are that emotionally supportive, personalized options, provided within the context of a positive working environment with high-quality, cross-level relationships, can benefit MHPs. However, under-response, non-response, and pathologizing or punitive responses from organizations and organizational leaders are significant barriers for MHPs in managing adverse responses after PSD.