Suicide Prevention Training Programs Available in Louisiana
September is national Suicide Prevention Month, though the Louisiana Department of Health is committed to reducing and preventing suicides throughout the year. Healthcare professionals, mental health providers, professional caregivers, and the general public can all play a role in preventing suicide. Trainings are available to help each of these groups understand what they can do to to help prevent and manage suicidality among their family, friends, and the people they serve.
The following training programs focus on assessment, intervention, treatment and management of suicide. All of the programs are evidence-based and follow standards and recommendations set by suicide prevention experts.
Trainings for Mental Health Professionals
Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR): Core Competencies for Mental Health Professionals: A one-day workshop for mental health professionals that will help them better assess suicide risk, plan treatment, and manage the ongoing care of at-risk clients. AMSR requires instruction from a qualified trainer. Training is available from the SPRC Training Institute for a fee. 6.5 continuing education credits are available from NASW, NBCC, APA and Continuing Medical Education Credits (CME). For more information, including the price of AMSR workshops and trainers available in your area, please contact amsr@edc.org.
Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk (RRSR): Essential Skills for Clinicians: An advanced two-day interactive training for mental health clinicians who want to acquire competency-based skills for working with clients at risk for suicide. RRSR requires instruction by a qualified trainer. Training is available from the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) for a fee. For inquiries about scheduled trainings, please visit the AAS training site or contact 202.237.2280.
Trainings for Healthcare Professionals
QPRT Risk Assessment and Management Training: A ten-hour course for healthcare professionals that is designed to reduce mental health consumer morbidity and mortality by standardizing the detection, assessment, and management of patients at elevated risk for suicidal behaviors in all settings and across the age span. Training is conducted online or face-to-face by a qualified QPRT instructor. Training is available from the QPR Institute for a fee by following this link to training courses.
Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk in Primary Care (RRSR-PC): A one-hour facilitated training for primary care physicians, physician assistants, and others who work in primary care settings. The training will help them better identify, manage, and treat adult patients who are at risk for suicide. Training is deliverable face-to-face or by webinar. Training is available from the American Association of Suicidology for a fee; a webinar option is available also on this link on the AAS site. For more information, email info@suicidology.org or call 202.237.2280.
Preventing Suicide in Emergency Department Patients (online course): Emergency departments play an important role in suicide prevention. The self-paced online course teaches healthcare professionals who work in an emergency department how to conduct screening, assessment, and brief interventions, such as safety planning and lethal means counseling. It also addresses patient-centered care for patients with suicide risk, patient safety during the emergency department visit, and incorporating suicide prevention into discharge planning. This course was created by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center at EDC, Inc. with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Trainings for All Audiences (Professional and Lay Audiences)
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST): A customizable 14-hour (2 consecutive days), two-trainer suicide prevention workshop designed for members of all caregiving groups. ASIST requires instruction from a qualified trainer. Training is available from LivingWorks or qualified trainers for a fee. For additional information from the SPRC regarding the course, click here. To find an ASIST training in your area, follow this link to the LivingWorks website.
Connect Suicide Prevention/Intervention Training: A six-hour training program in suicide prevention/intervention across the lifespan for professionals and laypersons. Using a modified socioecological model, Connect examines suicide in the context of the individual, family, tribe, community, and society. Training is available from NAMI-New Hampshire for a fee. To find additional resources for specific audiences, please visit the Connect Program site. To find a training in your area, please call 1.800.242.6264.
Suicide Prevention Training for Gatekeepers of Older Adults: An 8-hour gatekeeper training program for those who have regular contact with older adults through their personal, professional or volunteer activities. For more information about gatekeeper training or to schedule a training, please call Mary Quinn at 978.327.6672 or mquinn@fsmv.org.