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C-SSRS (Screener)

Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale — Screener

6 items
Score 0–6
past month (item 6: past 3 months)
All scales

A 6-item screener for suicidal ideation and behavior. The overall severity is driven by the *most severe* item endorsed, not a sum; a positive on items 4, 5, or 6 warrants immediate safety triage.

Your responses are scored in your browser and are never sent to or stored on our servers.

Ask about the past month unless otherwise noted. Answer each item Yes or No. The patient’s most severe "Yes" determines the overall risk level.

0 / 6 answered
C-SSRS (Screener) items
1.

1. Wish to be dead — Have you wished you were dead or wished you could go to sleep and not wake up?

2.

2. Non-specific active suicidal thoughts — Have you actually had any thoughts of killing yourself?

3.

3. Active suicidal ideation with any methods (not plan) without intent to act — Have you been thinking about how you might do this?

4.

4. Active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan — Have you had these thoughts and had some intention of acting on them?

5.

5. Active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent — Have you started to work out or worked out the details of how to kill yourself? Do you intend to carry out this plan?

6.

6. Suicidal behavior — In the past 3 months, have you done anything, started to do anything, or prepared to do anything to end your life? (Examples: collected pills, got a gun, gave away valuables, wrote a will or suicide note, held a gun but changed your mind, cut yourself, tried to hang yourself, etc.)

Licensing

Developed by Posner K and colleagues at Columbia University / Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene. Free for use in clinical practice, research, and education with attribution.

Citation

Posner K, Brown GK, Stanley B, et al. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale: initial validity and internal consistency findings from three multisite studies with adolescents and adults. Am J Psychiatry. 2011 Dec;168(12):1266-77.

This tool is for education and clinical decision support — it does not substitute for a full clinical evaluation. Always interpret results in the context of a complete history and exam.