THIS IS IMPORTANT (Written by @socialworkerscankissmyass on IG):

Why are mental health professionals complacent in a system that is more likely to kill folks experiencing a mental health crisis than to get them connected with adequate mental health support? 1/

FOLLOW @SOCIALWORKERSCANKISSMYASS HERE: https://www.instagram.com/socialworkerscankissmyass/ 2/

We should be livid at the amount of folks in this field that are using police as a way to get out of providing adequate services. Stop calling welfare checks on clients for liability purposes when you are immediately putting them in more danger by engaging the police. 3/

We should not be in the mental health field to “save” people but we also shouldn’t be here to assist in getting them murdered. 4/

FOLLOW @SOCIALWORKERSCANKISSMYASS HERE: https://www.instagram.com/socialworkerscankissmyass/ 5/

* Come up with a plan beforehand. Come up with next steps for when their feelings/thoughts around suicide get more intense (I am not saying force them to sign a safety-contract, those are harmful as well. 6/

* Calling crisis lines (some are safer than others, as some are more likely to call police and that transparency is necessary). 7/

* Stop advertising that you work with folks experiencing suicidality, depression or trauma if you are not intentionally reading/listening to books, listening to podcasts, attending webinars, etc and learning from the voices of those with lived experience. 8/

Example - if you are not intentionally going out of your way continuously to find out how to better support folks experiencing crisis and trauma, then stop advertising your services as appropriate for folks experiencing crisis and trauma. 9/

The examples are never ending. Do Better. We need to do better.

FOLLOW @SOCIALWORKERSCANKISSMYASS HERE: https://www.instagram.com/socialworkerscankissmyass/ 10/

Photo description: All slides on the same background. The bottom left corner is light pink which fades into a maroon at the top right and a few gold ovals between the two colors. 11/

Wording is in a maroon font over a light pink background at the bottom right of the image. Font color has passed a color contrast tester. 12/

SLIDE 1: If you feel relieved after calling the police on someone that is suicidal and believe they are getting the help they need, then you are not paying attention to how often police kill folks in mental health crisis. 13/

SLIDE 2: 1 in 4 people murdered by police are experiencing a mental health crisis at the time they are murdered.

SLIDE 3: People unable to access mental health resources are 16 times more likely to be fatally shot during an encounter with the police. 14/

FOLLOW @SOCIALWORKERSCANKISSMYASS HERE: https://www.instagram.com/socialworkerscankissmyass/ 15/