How Anti-Suicide Blankets Help Improve Safety in Behavioral Health Settings

Keeping people safe is the number one goal in behavioral health centers, so it is understandable that suicide prevention is of the utmost important. Behavioral health facilities and psychiatric hospitals often take care of persons undergoing serious mental health challenges or crises. This means that staff have to be extra careful to prevent any opportunity for self-harm. A simple but powerful tool that helps with this is the anti-suicide blanket.

In this article, we will explain what is an anti-suicide blanket, why it's needed, how it works, and give some helpful tips  for choosing suicide safety supplies for a hospital, prison, or mental health facility.

What Is an Anti-Suicide Blanket?

An anti-suicide blanket is a specially made blanket designed to protect people when they are at risk of harming themselves.  Anti-suicide blankets are also known as suicide prevention blankets or anti-ligature blankets.   These suicide safety blankets are made of thick materials that cannot be easily torn and turned into something dangerous like a rope.

Anti-suicide blankets are used in psychiatric hospitals, behavioral and mental health facilities, detox centers, prisons and other facilities where the risk of patient self-harm is a serious concern. They provide a simple way to reduce suicide risk, while still giving the person a feeling of dignity and comfort.

Why Regular Blankets and Clothing Can Be Dangerous

Most of us expect blankets to be soft and comfortable - but in a high-risk environment, even something as simple as a blanket can become equipment for self-harm. Here’s how:

Easy to Tear: Regular blankets, sheets, or clothing can sometimes be ripped into strips and made into ropes. 

Easy to Tie: Most everyday fabrics are soft and flexible, making them easy to knot or wrap around.

Always Available: If not replaced with safe options, everyday items like clothing and blankets can be misused by someone who is in crisis.

Suicide prevention blankets are made differently to remove suicide risks to patients, while still keeping the person warm and comfortable.

Key Features of a Good Anti-Suicide Blanket

If you're looking to buy anti-suicide blankets, here are some important things to check for:

• Very strong material: suicide prevention blankets are commonly made of quilted nylon or similar materials that are difficult to rip, making them tear-resistant and ligature-resistant. 

• No metal parts or zippers: anti-suicide blankets usually use velcro closures or have  a one-piece design, so there is nothing that can be misused. 

• Heavy and padded: they should have be sufficiently substantial to offer warmth and weight but still be safe to use. 

• Fire-Safe: t is critical to to meet the same fire safety standards as other blankets used in hospitals and jails.

• Easy to clean: Most suicide prevention blankets can be washed in a regular washing machine, making them easy to clean for repeated use.

How Anti-Suicide Blankets Help Keep People Safe

1. Anti-Suicide Blankets Stop People From Making Ligatures

The main objective is to prevent patients from turning them into something harmful. Because anti-suicide blankets cannot be ripped or rolled into a rope, this significantly reduces one of the most common methods of self-harm.

2. Anti-Suicide Blankets Make Patient Safety Checks Easier

Solid colors and simple design make it easier for staff to see the patient and check in on them quickly without disturbing them too much.

3. Anti-Suicide Blankets Help Meet Safety Standards

Many health and corrections facilities now require such suicide prevention products, including blankets. Providing suicide prevention blankets shows that your behavioral health facility is serious about safety. 

4. Anti-Suicide Blankets Are Kinder Than Restraints

Sometimes, instead of putting someone in restraints or in isolation rooms, a suicide  prevention blanket can be used to protect the patient in a more respectful and comfortable way.

Where Anti-Suicide Blankets Are Commonly Used

• In Mental Health Facilities: For patients under suicide watch or as part of the safety protocol for high-risk individuals

• In Correctional Facilities: For prisoners identified as at risk of suicide

What to Look for When Buying Anti-Suicide Blankets 

If you're responsible for purchasing these blankets, here’s a quick checklist:

1. Strength and Durability: Make sure the suicide blankets will hold up under stress and continuous use.
   

2. Right Size: Suicide safety blankets should provide full coverage for the patient without being too loose or bulky.
   

3. Washable: Choose suicide prevention blankets that can be easily cleaned and don’t hold odors or germs.
   

4. Comfort: Even though anti-suicide blankets are made primarily for safety, they should still feel comfortable enough for someone to use.
   

5. Trusted Supplier: Consider a manufacturer that has a longtime reputation.  For over a century, Humane Restraint anti-suicide blankets and other anti-suicide clothing have set the benchmark for excellence suicide prevention clothing. 

Final Thoughts: 

When you’re working with people undergoing some of the most difficult moments of their lives, safety comes first. Anti-suicide blankets are a simple but effective product that can help prevent tragedy. 

One of specialties is Suicide Prevention Clothing and patient Safety Clothing.  Contact our team for help choosing the right solution for your needs or shop now for top quality anti-suicide blankets.  Anti-suicide blankets reduce the risk of patient suicide, support safety rules and regulations, and show compassion at the same time.