Suicide Prevention and Intervention Initiatives

Taking into consideration the well-being of detainees with serious mental illnesses, ICE has instituted an extensive suicide prevention program in the past few years. The goal of our Suicide Prevention and Intervention is to ensure that all individuals at our detention facilities remain both safe and healthy. Suicide is always a risk at detention facilities of any kind, particularly with respect to those detainees who suffer from mental illness. Due to our proactive approach to this difficult and challenging issue, we have consistently succeeded in providing appropriate treatment to at-risk detainees. We have ensured that not a single suicide has occurred at an ICE detention facility in the last year.

Here are some of the steps we have taken to address this ongoing challenge.

Pursuant to ICE’s National Detention Standards, all staff working with detainees in detention facilities must be trained to recognize signs and situations potentially indicating a suicide risk. Staff must act to prevent suicides with appropriate sensitivity, supervision, and referrals. Any clinically suicidal detainee must receive preventive supervision and treatment.

On October 17, 2006, the ICE Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) issued a memorandum to all Field Office Directors reiterating the requirements of the Suicide Prevention and Intervention detention standard and directing them to verify compliance with the standard for all detention facilities used to house ICE detainees within their respective geographic areas of responsibility.

Furthermore, all Field Office Directors were also asked to verify that their staff are receiving annual training, that facilities have appropriate medical coverage to provide for detainees’ mental health needs, and that policy and procedures are in place to ensure prompt reporting of suicides and suicide attempt.

DRO, with the assistance of U.S. Public Health Service mental health professionals, created a suicide prevention poster and all Field Office Directors have been directed to place the posters in all detainee housing and common areas. The poster, available in both English and Spanish, not only encourages suicidal or depressed detainees to reach out to medical and facility staff, but also reminds dorm mates to report their observations when they are aware of someone who may be feeling depressed.

In July 2007, the Detention Standards Compliance Unit created the Detainee Suicide Prevention and Intervention Wallet cards for use by staff who have regular contact with ICE Detainees. The card, which is easily carried in the ICE credentials wallet, identifies high-risk suicidal factors and behaviors, high-risk times and places, and lists several actions officers can take to help prevent detainee suicides.

We strive to educate the officers and staff who are in daily contact with detainees, and we have established and enforced requirements for identifying high risk detainees. By making these efforts, we seek to protect the well-being of those in our detention facilities and ensure that those who may be at risk for suicide immediately receive all appropriate care and counseling.