Multidisciplinary and focused assessment, treatment, and discharge planning can be effective in neutralizing the risk of firearms use among psychiatric patients.

Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare developed safety guidelines for injury-free inpatient management, which were implemented in 2004. The guidelines focus on best practices in the areas of verbal and physical interactions between patients and staff, administration of emergency medication, communication of critical information during precrisis and crisis periods, measurement of safety outcomes, and application of safety rules via policies and use of the agency logo, "Working Smart=Working Safe." Between 2004 and 2008 staff injuries decreased 90%--from 91 to nine injuries. Restraints and seclusions fell by 36%, patient complaints by 37%, and the need for codes for staff to assist in a psychiatric emergency by 25%.

Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare developed safety guidelines for injury-free inpatient management, which were implemented in 2004. The guidelines focus on best practices in the areas of verbal and physical interactions between patients and staff, administration of emergency medication, communication of critical information during precrisis and crisis periods, measurement of safety outcomes, and application of safety rules via policies and use of the agency logo, "Working Smart=Working Safe." Between 2004 and 2008 staff injuries decreased 90%--from 91 to nine injuries. Restraints and seclusions fell by 36%, patient complaints by 37%, and the need for codes for staff to assist in a psychiatric emergency by 25%.

Best practices are recommended for assessing risk of violence and utilizing those findings to communicate with other mental health providers to manage the potential for violence as clients are transferred or referred. These recommendations are the fruition of a five-year collaboration of the Forensic Risk Assessment Work Group of the Ohio Department of Mental Health's statewide Forensic Product Line Leadership Team. Accurate assessment of static and dynamic risk factors, effective communication of risk of violence, incorporation of dynamic risk factors into the treatment planning process, and implementation of evidence-based risk-management practices are all emphasized as best practices.

Best practices are recommended for assessing risk of violence and utilizing those findings to communicate with other mental health providers to manage the potential for violence as clients are transferred or referred. These recommendations are the fruition of a five-year collaboration of the Forensic Risk Assessment Work Group of the Ohio Department of Mental Health's statewide Forensic Product Line Leadership Team. Accurate assessment of static and dynamic risk factors, effective communication of risk of violence, incorporation of dynamic risk factors into the treatment planning process, and implementation of evidence-based risk-management practices are all emphasized as best practices.