Why you should read this article:

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To enhance your understanding of the factors that may contribute to suicide risk in men

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To recognise various ways in which crisis resolution and home treatment team practitioners can improve the care they provide to male service users and preserve their safety

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To identify how you can effectively assess suicidal ideation among men in your area of practice

Around three quarters of suicides in England and Wales in 2019 were among men. Crisis resolution and home treatment teams (CRHTTs) have been a focus of mental health policy in many countries since the late 1990s, and became embedded in the UK healthcare system in the 2000s. CRHTTs aim to avoid hospital admissions, where it is safe to do so, for service users experiencing an acute mental health crisis. However, it has been recognised that at present there are more suicides occurring in service users under the care of CRHTTs than those in inpatient settings. One reason for this may be because assessing suicide risk is often challenging for CRHTT practitioners.

This article identifies some of the factors that increase the risk of suicide in men, and provides recommendations for CRHTT practitioners on how to effectively assess suicidal ideation in male service users.