Safe spaces as an alternative ​to the emergency department for suicidal distress: ​exploring guests' experiences​.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Australians experiencing suicidal crises are routinely directed to emergency departments (ED), despite EDs being perceived as inappropriate and under-resourced to adequately address mental health and suicidal crises. To address this significant gap in care, non-clinical "safe spaces" have emerged as an alternative, but research on their effectiveness in Australia remains limited. This study evaluates guest satisfaction, perceived helpfulness of services, and factors associated with distress reduction in safe spaces.

Methods

This study analysed routine care data from Stride, an Australian safe space provider, for N = 906 first-time guests at three locations (Blacktown, Wollongong, and Belconnen). Guest characteristics, service factors, and perceived helpfulness wer

SUBMITTER: Chakouch C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12359921 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature