Suicide Assessment, Intervention & Treatment

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

This 6-hour course examines the clinical issue of suicidality, with specific attention to preventing, intervening, and managing client suicidal ideation and behavior. Participants will gain a general understanding of suicidology theories including an overview of models, informed consent concerns, screening and assessment components, and treatment options.   This course will familiarize participants with evidence-based practices and ethical considerations with suicidality including the support of clinicians, independent of the mental health field, with regards to the informed risk of suicidality, the psychobiology of suicide, and prevention protocols. Specific attention will cover concerns of veteran-related issues, in compliance with Washington standards. 

Participants will experience the use of a screening tool (C-SSRS) and clinical evaluation as either a structured assessment (ex. SAMHSA SAFE-T protocol) or open-ended conversation that takes history, current clinical status, current crisis level, and client's patterns of thinking into account. Discussion facilitated on how to use warning signs to explore a client's concerns and how risk factors (safety challenges) will help to guide the clinician and client in the therapeutic alliance, individualized risk assessment, and treatment planning. Additional material provided for tele-mental health issues.  

Participants will review the components of a safety plan intervention, including the general Washington process of clinician referral for hospitalization, in an effort to ensure client safety, to provide a rationale for planning, and a brief overview of treatment options. Clinicians will be encouraged to offer clients with suicidal ideation or behavior evidence-based therapies for the treatable problems associated with suicide, such as substance misuse disorder and depression, etc. The reduction of lethal means as an evidence-based intervention will be discussed, including Extreme Risk Protection Orders.    Numerous ethical debates are at the heart of the treatment of suicidality. Although this course will not resolve these, participants can advance their study of clinical treatment of suicide by reflecting on and working toward individual resolution of these professional challenges that arise in response to a client revealing suicidal ideation or behaviors.  

Because this class awards CEs, trainees will not be admitted after the first 15 minutes and trainees who leave early may not receive credit. Please talk to the instructor if you need to leave early.

Registration Info:

Cost: $130

• No refunds are given
• Attendee substitutions accepted up to 48 hours before training
• Location: URL will be sent to you 1 week prior to class

*This training is on the WA State Department of Health’s Model List for Suicide Prevention Training for Health Professionals and is approved by the Medical Commission. It has also been approved for six (6) CEs for Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Social Workers. WMHCA Provider #1305.

Individuals must participate in 90% of the training to receive CEs. If an attendee is unable to complete 90% of the time, then they will be allowed to take the course again at a $25.00 per CE processing fee.