Glossary

Term · Pregnancy: Mind and Life

safety planning

Also: safety plan, personal safety plan

A written, step-by-step plan a person makes with a counselor or advocate to stay safe during a crisis, including warning signs and people and places to turn to.

In plain words

Safety planning is a short, practical plan a person makes with a counselor, advocate, or crisis line worker when they feel unsafe. It names warning signs, things that help in the moment, people to contact, and professionals or lines to call. In a relationship, it can include steps for staying safe at home or leaving, and ways to keep a phone and important documents secure. For mental health crises, it can include steps to get support quickly. Safety planning is used in crisis lines, emergency rooms, and perinatal care. It is a collaborative tool, not a test, and it can be written down and changed as needs shift. If you need support now, call or text . If a partner is hurting you, the National Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. If you are in danger right now, call 911.

The deeper version

Safety planning is a structured, collaborative intervention that identifies warning signs, internal coping strategies, social supports, professional contacts, and steps for making the environment safer, written in the person's own words. The Safety Planning Intervention was tested against usual care in a randomized trial, with reduced suicidal behavior reported in the intervention arm (Stanley and colleagues, JAMA Psychiatry, 2018). In intimate partner violence, safety planning is a standard part of advocacy and is adapted to the risk of leaving. Crisis line contact is brief and structured, combining risk assessment, empathic listening, collaborative problem solving, safety planning, and linkage. Evidence for safety planning in pregnancy and the postpartum period is limited, and it is unclear how well it translates across settings.

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Sources

  • Stanley B, Brown GK, Brenner LA, et al. — Comparison of the Safety Planning Intervention with follow-up vs usual care of suicidal patients treated in the emergency department. JAMA Psychiatry (2018)

The Mothership Topic Wiki is general information for mothers and the people who care for them. It is not medical, legal, or mental-health advice and does not create a provider relationship. Experiences posted by members are their own. In an emergency call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.