Safety planning for suicidality in autism: Obstacles, potential solutions, and future directions

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among US adolescents; data from the Youth Behavior Risk Survey indicates nearly 19% of youth reported seriously considering suicide, and 9% reported a suicide attempt within the past year.  To date, suicide research in adolescents has largely been focused on neurotypical youth. Autistic youth experience elevated risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, with a recent cohort study finding autistic individuals were three times more likely to attempt and die by suicide.  Screening for suicide is a critical first step in identifying youth at risk who may require immediate intervention,  and screening has been successfully implemented across levels of pediatric care that often serve autistic youth.