Comfort and Safety: Psychiatric furniture is uniquely designed to balance comfort and safety. Individuals in mental health facilities may experience heightened stress levels, and having furniture that is both comfortable and secure is essential. Soft, rounded edges, anti-ligature features, and durable materials contribute to a safe and welcoming environment.
Anti-Ligature Design: Anti-ligature design is a key consideration in psychiatric furniture. This design approach aims to eliminate points where individuals could potentially harm themselves through hanging or strangulation. Furniture such as beds, chairs, and tables are carefully crafted to minimize these risks while maintaining a non-institutional aesthetic.
Versatility and Functionality: Psychiatric spaces often serve multiple purposes, from therapy sessions to communal activities. Furniture that is versatile and easily adaptable to different settings enhances the functionality of these spaces. Modular seating arrangements, adjustable tables, and movable partitions contribute to a dynamic and accommodating environment.
Therapeutic Sensory Elements: The use of color, texture, and sensory elements in furniture design can have a positive impact on individuals' emotional well-being. Calming color schemes, soft fabrics, and ergonomic designs contribute to a soothing atmosphere, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety.
Privacy and Personal Space: Privacy is a critical aspect of mental health care. Psychiatric furniture is designed to provide individuals with personal space when needed. From privacy screens to individual seating arrangements, the design of furniture contributes to creating areas where individuals can retreat and regroup.
Durable and Low-Maintenance Materials: The wear and tear in psychiatric facilities can be significant due to the intensity of use and potential behavioral challenges. Psychiatric furniture is often crafted from durable, low-maintenance materials that can withstand frequent cleaning and ensure a hygienic environment.
Collaboration with Mental Health Professionals: The design process of psychiatric furniture involves collaboration with mental health professionals to ensure that the furniture meets the specific needs of individuals in care. Input from therapists, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers helps create spaces that support therapeutic interventions.
Creating a Non-Institutional Atmosphere: One of the goals in psychiatric furniture design is to move away from the traditional institutional look. By incorporating elements of residential design, such as homely colors and comfortable furnishings, psychiatric spaces aim to reduce stigma and create environments that feel less clinical and more inviting.
Conclusion:
Psychiatric furniture goes beyond mere functionality; it plays a vital role in shaping the healing environment within mental health facilities. Thoughtful design, incorporating comfort, safety, versatility, and therapeutic elements, contributes to creating spaces that promote recovery and well-being. As the field of mental health care continues to evolve, the importance of innovative and compassionate furniture design becomes increasingly evident in supporting individuals on their journey towards mental health and resilience
]]>Understanding Psychiatric Facility Safety:
Safety within psychiatric facilities is a multifaceted challenge. Patients may experience emotional crises, agitation, or episodes of intense distress, posing potential risks to themselves or others. In extreme cases, patients may attempt self-harm or exhibit violent behavior, necessitating quick and effective interventions by facility staff.
Traditional approaches to safety in psychiatric facilities involve the use of trained personnel, de-escalation techniques, and secure environments. However, there are situations where immediate action is required, and this is where rescue hook knives can make a significant impact.
The Role of Rescue Hook Knives:
Rescue hook knives, originally designed for emergency situations such as vehicle extrication and water rescues, have found a unique application in psychiatric facilities. These knives typically feature a hooked blade with a protected, rounded tip, designed to cut through various materials quickly. The design minimizes the risk of injury to both the user and the individual being assisted.
Self-Harm Prevention: In psychiatric facilities, patients may resort to self-harm as a way to cope with emotional pain. Rescue hook knives can be used by trained staff to swiftly cut through materials like clothing or ligatures, reducing the risk of self-inflicted injuries.
Emergency Situations: During crises, patients may find themselves entangled in potentially dangerous situations. Rescue hook knives provide a rapid means to free individuals from restraints, reducing the time it takes to respond to emergencies.
Maintaining Staff Safety: Psychiatric facility staff often face challenging and unpredictable situations. Having access to rescue hook knives empowers them to respond effectively to emergencies while maintaining a safe distance, minimizing the risk of injury.
Training and Implementation:
While rescue hook knives offer valuable benefits, their use in psychiatric facilities requires proper training and protocols. Staff members must be educated on the appropriate situations for knife deployment, as well as the correct techniques to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Moreover, integrating rescue hook knives into the overall safety plan of psychiatric facilities involves collaboration with mental health professionals, security experts, and facility administrators. Regular drills and simulations can help staff become familiar with the tools and procedures, ensuring a prompt and coordinated response when needed.
Conclusion:
In the ever-evolving landscape of mental health care, the use of innovative tools like rescue hook knives highlights the commitment of psychiatric facilities to prioritize safety. When used responsibly and in conjunction with comprehensive safety measures, these tools contribute to creating environments where patients can receive the care they need, and staff can perform their duties with confidence and security. The careful integration of rescue hook knives into psychiatric facility safety protocols represents a step forward in enhancing the overall well-being of those seeking mental health support
]]>Suicide rates in prisons are significantly high; in fact, suicide is the #1 cause of death for prisoners in the United States.
To understand the prevalence of suicides in prison, it’s important to look at the ‘risk factors’ – these are circumstances within a prisoner’s life that, as suggested by data, may increase the likelihood that they could attempt suicide. These are either based on the prisoner’s history or their circumstances while incarcerated.
Learn about these risk factors below.
Just how high are prison suicide rates, exactly?
This recent study from a public health journal looked into the phenomenon, and its findings were telling.
The study, which looked at data from 24 “high-income countries” between 2013 and 2017, found that suicide rates were much higher among prisoners than among the general population. Male prisoners were 3-8 times more likely to die by suicide than those in the general population, while female prisoner rates were more than 10 times higher.
The same study identified many risk factors, or circumstances that could point to the frequency of this problem. Read more about these below.
Suicidal idealation can often be found amongst those with a family history of it. This is true both for the incarcerated and the rest of the population.
In fact, a Danish study compared over 4,000 people who had committed suicide to over 80,000 who had not – it found that those who had a parent or sibling die from suicide were two and a half times more likely to fall in the group that had committed suicide than the latter group.
The public health journal’s study found that a record of past suicide attempts is one of the most notable risk factors for suicide among prisoners. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for those who have survived attempts to either try again, or relapse if they have made progress recovering from their suicidal idealation.
Material conditions are often cited as relevant to individual mental health crises and suicide attempts among prisoners. Unemployment before incarceration is one of these conditions.
Outside of prisons, researchers have been carefully exploring the connection between unemployment and suicide rates. Specifically, job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a topic on researchers’ minds over the last year.
Not every incarcerated person has a home to return to upon finishing their sentence. Research suggests that up to 15% of prisoners are homeless at some point within the year leading up to the beginning of their term. Homelessness is a notable risk factor for suicide.
There are a lot of misconceptions about how mental health is monitored in the framework of the prison system. Many mistakenly think that if a prisoner is found to have a mental health condition or illness, they will be taken to a rehabilitation centre in place of their prison sentence. This is not usually the case – in fact, the American Psychological Association reports that in the U.S., 64 percent of jail inmates, 54 percent of state prisoners,and 45 percent of federal prisoners have reported mental health concerns.
Addiction and dependency are also notable risk factors for suicide in prisons. The link between substance use and incarceration is something that has long been studied and analyzed. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, research suggests that 65% of the population in U.S. prisons may struggle with a substance use disorder.
Experts say that community is important for mental health recovery. But behind bars, prisoners are not always able to foster the community they need to achieve positive mental health. This may be why poor social support is often cited as a risk factor for suicide in prisons.
Prisoners who have been placed in solitary confinement have a significantly increased risk of attempting suicide: one 2020 report found that the rate of suicides from 2015 to 2019 was five times higher among those in solitary confinement than among other prisoners.
If a prisoner is believed to be suicidal, prisons may choose to revoke the prisoner’s uniform and give them suicide prevention gear instead. This gear is manufactured to be difficult to use in a suicide attempt – for example, it cannot be torn into a rope.
There are anti-suicide shirts, pants, smocks, furniture, and even hooks for cells. Prisons use these materials to create an environment that limits the possible of suicide for those in cells.
Ultimately, the suicide rate among the incarcerated is alarming – and deeply complex. By understanding what possible circumstance could be linked to these suicide attempts, a more accurate picture of this mental health crisis is created.
]]>Suicide attempt rates are significantly high among the incarcerated. That’s why prisons and similar facilities should take every step possible to protect the mental health of those in their possession. There are plenty of strategies to be taken that can prevent suicides, and having suicide prevention gear on hand is one of these steps.
Suicide prevention gear can exist in many forms, and is often relied upon by prisons and other facilities to stop inmates or patients from harming themselves. Read below to learn more about this gear and how it works.
Data shows that suicide rates are significantly high in prisons, and the problem may be getting worse. This chart, for example, shows that suicide rates in U.S. state prisons have increased gradually over the last decade.
Additionally, suicide attempt rates are higher among the incarcerated than the full U.S. population. In a study done in 24 countries around the world, suicide rates were 3-8 times higher among male prisoners compared to the general population. Suicide rates among female prisoners, meanwhile, were more than 10 percent higher than those in the general population.
Being that suicide rates among prisoners are disproportionate to the rest of society, it is clear that facilities like prisons have a lot of work to do to ensure the protection of those they hold.
Problems involving mental health among prisoners could be attributed to the multiple risk factors that research points to in the atmosphere of these facilities: isolation, fear, separation from society or family, difficulty adjusting, and lack of purposeful activity being among them.
In order to offset the environmental challenges that prisoners bring to the mental health of inmates, prisons should provide access to mental health care services. Prison staff members are usually not trained to specialize in monitoring the mental health of inmates – that’s why bringing actual professionals on board can make a huge difference.
The way that prison staff operate can dramatically affect those held in prisons. By training staff in a way that makes sure they are diligent in the way they interact with inmates and carry out their duties, a safer environment can be cultivated.
Most prisons have surveillance measures to catch inmates who are planning or starting a suicide attempt. This technology offers prisons away of stopping attempts before they happen, allowing the suicide rate number to remain low.
Inmates have a certain amount of equipment in their cell or on their person – this can include clothing, bedding, and furniture. Since inmates don’t have many resources at hand, if they are determined to attempt suicide or self-harm, they might try to use the limited equipment they have in creative ways.
Most anti-suicide products are made to address this concern. They are usually designed to be difficult to use in these attempts – this is often reflected in these products’ structural design or base material.
Prison and jail cells are equipped with blankets for inmates to use while they rest. However, an inmate may try to incorporate their blanket into a suicide attempt or harmful incident, either by smothering or tearing it into a rope.
Anti-suicide blankets are designed to be particularly difficult to tear. They are usually made from a flat nylon material that cannot be bent or torn.
Under normal circumstances, a prisoner may wear their regular jumpsuit or uniform. However, a prisoner may try to tear their clothing to be used as part of a self-harm or suicide attempt.
Many facilities have rules stating that these patients must wear tear-resistant clothing until they are deemed no longer a risk to themselves.
Smocks are one of the most popular types of clothing for this purpose. They were invented in 1989 by Lonna Speer, a nurse working in a California jail who wanted to change the fact that suicidal inmates were regularly stripped down and placed in a padded cell with no clothing.
These smocks are hard to fold or bend, and cannot be torn to be used as a rope.
Some prison or jail cells and similar facilities offer furniture to inmates. These may include desks, chairs, or shelves.
There are plenty of ways that these pieces of furniture could be used in a suicide attempt or act of self-harm. For that reason, facilities may choose to fill cells with furniture that negates these problems.
An example of anti-suicide furniture would be a chair that is designed with no spaces to attached wires or cords – this limits the possibilities of hangings or similar suicides.
Ultimately, suicide rates are a complex problem, and prisons should be dedicated to fostering positive mental health among patients. To keep the suicide rates down, anti-suicide gear can make a significant difference.
]]>Research shows that incarceration can take a toll on inmates’ mental health. Experts already believe that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis – and prisons and similar facilities are taking the brunt of the mental health crisis particularly hard.
In fact, the suicide rate for prisoners is higher than the rate for the general population. A 2016 study found that female prisoners are 20 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person, while male prisoners are 5 to 6 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person.
It’s not hard to see why this is the case. Being imprisoned harshly limits the amount of resources at hand that you could use to support your own mental health. This frames the issue of suicide rates among the incarcerated, which many experts are still learning more about.
For that reason, facilities like this should take every step possible to protect the mental health of those in their care. One of the most common ways to do this is to be equipped with suicide prevention equipment.
Suicide prevention equipment has been around for a few decades, and has become popular in prisons – it can be used as part of a larger effort to strive towards protection prisoners’ lives and their well-being. Read below to learn more about these products.
Earlier, we showed you statistics about the relatively high rates of suicide found among prisoners. Why, exactly, are these rates so high?
Each case is different, but the nature of incarceration leaves plenty of room for poor mental health. Some of the most commonly cited risk factors include:
Isolation
Separation from family or close relationships
Separation from society
Lack of protection or safety
Difficulty adjusting
Lack of purposeful daily activity
Suicide prevention products do not target these risk factors specifically – learn how they actually work below.
Inmates have a certain amount of equipment in their cell or on their person – this can include clothing, bedding, and furniture. Since inmates don’t have many resources at hand, if they want to attempt suicide or self-harm, they might try to use the limited equipment they have in creative ways.
Most anti-suicide products are made to address this concern. They are usually designed to be difficult to use in these attempts – this is often reflected in these products’ structural design or base material.
Prison and jail cells are equipped with blankets for inmates to use while they rest. However, an inmate may try to incorporate their blanket into a suicide attempt or harmful incident, either by smothering or tearing it into a rope.
Anti-suicide blankets are designed to be particularly difficult to tear. They are usually made from a flat nylon material that cannot be bent or torn.
Under normal circumstances, a prisoner may wear their regular jumpsuit or uniform. However, a prisoner may try to tear their clothing to be used as part of a self-harm or suicide attempt.
Many facilities have rules stating that these patients must wear tear-resistant clothing until they are deemed no longer a risk to themselves.
Smocks are one of the most popular types of clothing for this purpose. They were invented in 1989 by Lonna Speer, a nurse working in a California jail who wanted to change the fact that suicidal inmates were regularly stripped down and placed in a padded cell with no clothing.
These smocks are hard to fold or bend, and cannot be torn to be used as a rope.
Some prison or jail cells and similar facilities offer furniture to inmates. These may include desks, chairs or shelves.
There are plenty of ways that these pieces of furniture could be used in a suicide attempt or act of self-harm. For that reason, facilities may choose to fill cells with furniture that negates these problems.
An example of anti-suicide furniture would be a chair that is designed with no spaces to attach wires or cords – this limits the possibilities of hangings or similar suicides.
Historically, cells have had hooks in them for clothing, towels, and other objects to hang. However, these can be used for hangings, or as a sharp object. The J-Hook solves both of these problems. It has the ideal amount of durability within its design, and is rounded rather than sharp.
Prisons and similar facilities should take every possible step to protect the well-being of inmates. Having gear that is designed to prevent suicides is one step worth taking, among other important efforts.
For decades, PSP Corp has been dedicated to providing law professionals with the equipment they need to thrive. ]]>Experts say that there is a worldwide mental health crisis – and its effects can be seen in prisons, jails, hospitals, and similar facilities. This 2016 study conducted by English researchers found that suicide rates are significantly high in incarcerated populations. In fact, the suicide rate among female prisoners is 20x higher than the non-incarcerated population. For males, it is 5-6x higher.
Many speculate that the reason for these rates is the set of environmental factors found in prisons and similar facilities. These often include isolation, separation from family or society, lack of protection or safety, difficulty adjusting, and lack of purposeful daily activity.
What can be done about this alarming trend? One possible solution is to equip facilities with gear that is designed to prevent suicides and self-harm. Fortunately, plenty of equipment is made specifically to combat this issue.
Blankets and smocks are two examples. Patients may try to use regular blankets and smocks as materials to be used in their instance of self-harm or suicide attempt. That’s why some blankets and smocks are designed with an anti-suicide approach.
Read below to learn all about these materials and how they can prevent suicides.
Incarcerated people are entitled to blankets and sheets to sleep with. However, regular blankets can be used in suicide attempts – most commonly, they are ripped and tied into nooses with knots.
Anti-suicide blankets are particularly difficult to tear. They are usually made from quilted nylon or a similar material. They are a little more stiff to avoid tearing, but they ultimately still serve the purpose of a normal blanket.
Some patients may try to tear their clothing to create a noose, similar to what was described above with blankets. That’s why anti-suicide smocks are popular and sometimes necessary. These smocks are made with nylon or a similar material. They don’t have any small foldable components like sleeves or collars. They are thick, and contain small nylon hooks or fasteners to close. Ultimately, the goal of these smocks is to provide warmth to patients or facility members who choose to wear them.
For anti-suicide smocks, the history dates back a few decades. Most records point to the inventor being Lonna Speer, a nurse working in a jail in Santa Cruz, California. She invented what was called the ‘Safety Smock’ in 1989. Prior to the invention, prisoners would often be forced to wear nothing – arguably a much more dehumanizing approach than the safety smock.
Now, the American Correctional Association has approved Safety Smocks and similar garments for use in prisons and other facilities. These must meet certain criteria to be permitted.
Now, plenty of products are designed to reduce harm and suicide. Items like helmets, shelves, and furniture are made for these facilities. Each one is either made from material that cannot be used to facilitate suicide attempts.
As with blankets and smocks, the right equipment can make a big difference. Beyond equipment, though, institutions can – and should – take further steps to reduce self-harm and suicide.
These facilities should implement the following measures:
Having only cordless appliances accessible to patients or prisoners – the cords can often be used for self-strangulation
Making sure that there are no hooks or protruding objects on walls or in cells – these can be used for hangings or for puncturing the skin
Providing sufficient lighting – this is linked to mood stability
Installing functioning smoke detectors
There are plenty more ways to make facilities safer. The National Center on Institutions and Alternatives published a checklist for harm-resistant facility design with further guidelines.
Suicides and instances of self-harm need to be prevented in prisons and patient-care facilities. Fortunately, products like anti-suicide smocks and blankets can prevent these issues. Facilities should equip themselves with materials like these to ensure that they cultivate a safe environment.
Ultimately, blankets and smocks play a small role in the larger shift towards prioritizing mental health for patients. Safety should always be a top concern for facilities like these. ]]>