Design of a Decision Support Application to Support Individuals in Mental Health Crisis

Mental health and suicide are two substantial issues facing our society. They have far reaching impacts on the healthcare and public safety systems, the economy, and human life. Despite their impact and importance, the amount of research is disproportionate to the magnitude of the problem. The current study sought to determine decision requirements of those in mental health crisis and to translate them into a user-friendly mobile application. Individuals who had been in mental health crises and mental health professionals were interviewed. Results showed that both the availability of resources and the impact of anxiety and overwhelm on decision making are areas in which individuals in crisis can be better supported. Outcome of research included design of a prototype mobile application designed to support decision making during mental health crisis.