Suicide  Risk  AssessmenT:  A Primer for Clinicians 

2 CEs   $30
Suicide is a leading of cause death among several age groups and anywhere between 20 and 50% of clinicians will experience the death of a patient by suicide. Despite these realities, clinicians receive little training during their graduate education on how to assess and respond to suicide risk. As Jamison (1999) put it, "The gap between what we know, and what we do, is lethal." This course is a start to bridging that lethal gap.  

When suicidality appears, a key tool in protecting your patients is a suicide risk assessment (SRA). In 2 hours of audio-visual instruction packed with research-based information and real life examples I will introduce you to a structured approach to risk assessment and help you avoid common pitfalls. You will learn how to estimate risk, make a plan that can reduce risk, and document assessments to decrease liability exposure. To reinforce your learning, together we will apply your new skills to a case example. 
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
  • Systematically evaluate suicide risk
  • Guide assessments with a user-friendly, copyright free tool
  • Spot risk factors that matter
  • Estimate suicide risk
  • Design tailored treatment plans that reduce suicide risk
  • Thoroughly document suicide risk assessments
  • Minimize liability exposure 
Audience
This course is designed for mental health clinicians, especially those who have not had specific training in evaluating patients for suicide risk. The course focuses on the process of assessment only and does not cover important topics such as theories of suicide and suicide statistics. Clinicians already well-trained in suicide risk assessment will find this course to be a good refresher. Only clinicians licensed by of the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in California are eligible for CE credit. 
Downloadable Course Materials
  • Slide handout for easy reference
  • Suicide risk assessment form (copyright free)
  • Vignette worksheet to apply your new skills
  • Reference list to guide future learning
Instructions
This is a video-based course. To get started:
  1. Purchase the course and then return to this page. 
  2. Watch the video and review the downloadable materials.
  3. Complete the post-test. A passing score is 75%. You may only take the test once. 
  4. Complete the course evaluation.
Within 72 hours of completing the course evaluation, I will score your post-test and, provided that you pass, I will send you a certificate of completion via email. 
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