Essential clinical and legal issues when working with the suicidal patient.

The legal and clinical literatures on the standards of care for adult suicidal patients are reviewed. We discuss the components of an effective risk management approach that balances the need for high-quality care by a reasonable and prudent practitioner with the requirements of court-determined and statutory standards. Through a review of legal theories and an overview of the clinical literature, we detail the essential guidelines for sound assessment, intervention, and postvention procedures.