Case Study 1

Mary-Jane is a 29 year-old woman who has been diagnosed as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and is self-harming. She has made two suicide attempts in the past. She experienced severe physical (from infancy) and sexual abuse (from the age of 4) from her parents, and was removed from their care by the State child protection authority at age 8. Mary-Jane had multiple foster placements due to her aggressive and sexualised behaviour, and was sexually abused by a relative of one foster carer at age 13. She has had several admissions to a mental health inpatient facility from age 14, and also spent 6 months in juvenile detention at age 16 for assault. She has been a polydrug user (alcohol, benzodiazepines, opiates and cannabis) since age 17. She has a history of abusive relationships, and her two children have been removed from her care 3 years ago due to physical and emotional abuse by both Mary-Jane and several of her partners. She has presented to your service as homeless and expressing thoughts of killing herself. The only person she sees as supportive is one of her sisters.

Please help to:

a) Develop a safety plan to your organisation's requirements

b) Discuss how you would address trauma issues in relation to Mary-Jane by answering the questions below.

Your safety plan must include:

Resources and strategies to minimise the risk of suicide, and

Any other services and/or individuals who could form part of the plan.

1. What coping resources and strategies would you collaboratively develop with Mary-Jane to minimise the risk of suicide?

2. What other services and/or individuals could form part of the safety plan?

3. What are the risk factors and possible triggers for suicide for Mary-Jane

4.How would you determine the level of risk?

5. How would you respond to Mary-Janes suicidal thinking?

6. How would you respond to disclosures of trauma by Mary-Jane?

7. How would you ensure that you do not re-traumatise Mary-Jane in your interview?