'Lock To Live' Offers Online Tool For Those In Crisis
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- Access to certain things in the home, whether it be firearms or medication, can be dangerous for someone at risk of suicide. Now researchers with the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus, have created a free tool to help address the issue.
This week, researchers and clinicians released the online resource called Lock to Live. The idea is that by reducing access to firearms or medication in the home, people can help to possibly save the life of someone in crisis.
The online tool walks people through the options they have when it comes to home safety, asking questions along the way that guide results to what options might work best for a family or individual situation.
"Some people might not quite know how to navigate what is the best choice for their family. Do they want to lock things up at home, do they want to store it off-site somewhere or do they want to give it to someone for safe keeping?" explained Emmy Betz, an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus. "Those conversations can sometimes be hard to have with people, so we wanted to create a resource that can provide that information in an unbiased way."
The resource was tested in three emergency rooms across Colorado. The tool not only offers storage or disposal options for firearms and medications, but also information on other logistics like cost and legal issues.
The resource is meant to help suicidal adults, family and friends make decisions about reducing access to potential suicide methods. With suicide rates on the rise, Betz said this is one piece of the puzzle in fighting the issue.
"As health care providers, were really on the front lines of seeing people who are in crisis that day," Betz said. "And we want to do everything we can to help them and sometimes these small changes in home safety make the biggest difference for someone."
The resource is free, and does not require any personal information to be submitted.
LINK: Lock To Live
