Safety Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Crisis Plan

What is a safety plan?

A safety plan is a written, prioritized list of coping strategies and resources you can turn to when experiencing a suicidal crisis or overwhelming emotional distress. It is designed to be brief, specific, and actionable — something you can pull out and follow step by step when your thinking is clouded by pain.

The most widely used and researched model is the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention (SPI), developed by Barbara Stanley, Ph.D., and Gregory Brown, Ph.D. A 2018 study published in JAMA Psychiatry (Stanley et al.) found that safety planning combined with structured follow-up reduced suicide attempts by 45% among veterans presenting to emergency departments with suicidal ideation.

Safety planning is now recommended by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the Joint Commission, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a standard of care for individuals at risk. It is one of the most effective brief interventions available for suicide prevention.

The 6 steps of the Stanley-Brown Safety Plan

The Stanley-Brown model follows a specific sequence, starting with things you can do on your own and escalating to external support. This structure is intentional — it gives you multiple options before reaching the point of needing emergency intervention.

Step 1: Recognize your warning signs

What are the early signals that a crisis may be developing? These are the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or situations that typically precede your worst moments. Examples include increasing isolation, persistent thoughts of being a burden, disrupted sleep, or a specific emotional state like hopelessness or rage.

Being specific is critical. "Feeling bad" is too vague. "Staying in bed past noon and not responding to messages for two days" is actionable — it tells you exactly when to pull out the plan.

Step 2: Use internal coping strategies

These are things you can do on your own, without contacting anyone, to manage the crisis. The goal is to create enough time and space to let the intensity pass. Examples include:

• Going for a walk or engaging in physical movement
• Deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation
• Taking a cold shower or holding ice cubes (grounding techniques)
• Listening to a specific playlist or watching a comfort show
• Writing in a journal or doing a DBT distress tolerance exercise

Step 3: Contact people and places for distraction

If internal strategies are not enough, the next step is putting yourself around other people — not necessarily to talk about your crisis, but to interrupt isolation. This might mean going to a coffee shop, gym, library, or place of worship. It might mean calling a friend to talk about anything other than how you are feeling.

Step 4: Ask someone for help

This step involves reaching out to specific, trusted people and telling them what you are experiencing. Write down names and phone numbers. Have at least two or three people listed so that if one is unavailable, you have backups. Include a brief script if that would help: "I am having a really hard time right now and I need to talk."

Step 5: Contact professionals and agencies

List the professionals and crisis services you can contact. Include your therapist's name and number, your psychiatrist, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988), Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), and the nearest emergency room address. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is also available 24/7.

Step 6: Make the environment safe

This step involves reducing access to lethal means during a crisis. Research consistently shows that means restriction is one of the most effective suicide prevention strategies — most suicidal crises are temporary, and if lethal means are not accessible during the crisis period, the person often survives. This might involve asking a trusted person to temporarily hold medications, firearms, or other items.

Why safety plans work

Safety plans work because they address the core problem of suicidal crises: impaired decision-making during extreme emotional pain. When someone is in crisis, their cognitive field narrows — a phenomenon called cognitive constriction. Options that seem obvious during calm moments become invisible during a crisis.

A written safety plan bypasses this impairment. You do not need to generate solutions in the moment because the solutions are already written down. You just need to follow the steps. The sequential structure means there is always a next thing to try, which counteracts the feeling that nothing can help.

The evidence base is strong. Beyond the 45% reduction in suicide attempts found by Stanley et al. (2018), a systematic review by Nuij et al. (2021) found consistent evidence that safety planning is associated with reduced suicidal ideation and behavior. The intervention is brief (can be completed in 20–45 minutes), low-cost, and effective across diverse populations.

Safety plans are not no-suicide contracts

It is important to understand what a safety plan is not. For years, clinicians used "no-suicide contracts" or "contracts for safety" — verbal or written agreements where a patient promised not to harm themselves. These contracts have no evidence supporting their effectiveness and may actually increase risk by creating a false sense of security.

A safety plan is fundamentally different. It does not ask you to promise anything. Instead, it gives you concrete tools and a clear path of escalation. It acknowledges that crises will happen and prepares for them rather than pretending a promise can prevent them.

The MindCheck Tools safety plan builder walks you through each of the six Stanley-Brown steps in a structured format. Your plan is created privately in your browser and can be saved or printed for easy access.

How to create your safety plan

The best time to create a safety plan is when you are not in crisis. This gives you the clarity to think carefully about what works for you and the ability to be specific and thorough.

• Be specific. "Call someone" is less useful than "Call Sarah at 555-0142." Specificity removes decision-making from a moment when you cannot think clearly.
• Make it personal. Use coping strategies that have actually worked for you in the past, not generic suggestions. If going for a run has never helped you, do not put it on your plan.
• Keep it accessible. Your safety plan should be easy to find when you need it. Keep a copy on your phone, in your wallet, on your nightstand. The digital safety plan tool lets you save and access your plan anytime.
• Share it. Give a copy to your therapist, a trusted friend, or a family member so they know how to support you.
• Review and update regularly. Phone numbers change, relationships shift, and you learn new coping skills. Review your plan with your therapist at least every few months.

When to seek professional support

A safety plan is a tool for managing crises, not a replacement for ongoing mental health support. If you are experiencing recurring suicidal thoughts, persistent hopelessness, or emotional crises, working with a trained mental health professional is strongly recommended.

A therapist can help you create a more thorough safety plan, address the underlying issues contributing to crisis episodes, and provide evidence-based treatments such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP), or the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS).

If you do not currently have a therapist, SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides free, confidential referrals. You do not need to be in crisis to call — they can help you find a provider in your area.