988 Lifeline Learning Module 1-4 Practice Test

Recognizing imminent risk means identifying a situation where someone is likely to act on self-harm soon and needs urgent help. When there are thoughts of suicide plus a stated intent to die and a concrete plan with a specific timeframe (within the next hour), the danger is immediate. The person could follow through quickly, so immediate action is needed to keep them safe—staying with them, removing means if possible, and contacting emergency services or guiding them to urgent professional help (such as 988 or local emergency services) right away. If someone has thoughts of suicide but no plan, that’s still serious and requires support and safety planning, but it does not automatically indicate an imminent act. A scenario where the person is simply in a car with the engine off doesn’t by itself demonstrate self-harm intent in this context, and having no thoughts of suicide suggests low immediate risk.