This study describes suicidal people who came to emergency department & examines the relationship between clinical & health service characteristics & decisions regarding post-emergency department care. During the 1-month study period, 163 visits were for suicidal ideation or behaviour. The mean age of the patients was 36.5 years & 51% were female. Clinical decisions about post-emergency care tended to be cautious, regardless of a patient’s level of suicidality, with 71% of patients either transferred for psychiatric evaluation or admitted to the psychiatric unit. (23 refs.)