Training

In order to prevent suicide, it is imperative that lay-persons through professionals gain the knowledge and practice to become competent in identifying individuals at risk of suicide and connecting them to help, just as with first aid. Equally important is that the help, clinicians of all types and health and behavioral health care systems, become competent in providing the treatment and services needed to reduce individuals’ risk and guide them toward hope, including family and caregiver engagement. For more on this please see the resources below, and Zero Suicide-Training the Workforce.

The following evidence-based, best practice training is available in Connecticut for low or no cost thanks to state and federal grants. Training participants will receive a certificate of completion, and CEUs or CMEs where indicated below. For more information on training, please contact us or your Regional Suicide Advisory Board.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM): ‍Help keep your at-risk clients safe by learning how to collaborate with them to implement safe storage of firearms and dangerous medications. Training is available for individual providers as well as organizations, with in-person and virtual options available.

• AAS General Training and Certifications
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Certificate and 12 hours-CT Certification Board, Inc.)
• Ask Listen Refer (For college campuses)
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Mental Health Professionals (6.5 CEUs-NASW)
• Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Training SCORM FILE for Learning Management Integration
  • Program Provider Application Web-Based Training DMHAS
  • CSSRS-LMS CME Application Form
  • Dr. Kelly Posner Bio
  • Evaluation CSSRS
• Connect Postvention (suicide response) (3 or 6 CEUs-NASW for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Training, and Certificate for Social Service Training)
• Equity in Suicide Prevention Webinars
• Harvard Medical School Course Catalog (Live & online)
• It’s Real | AFSP
• Mental Health First Aid (Certificate and 12 hours-CT Certification Board, Inc.)
• Preventing Suicide in Emergency Departments
• Psycharmor
• Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper Program (Certificate)
• Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk-Primary Care (1.5 CME-AMA)
• Safety Planning for Youth Suicide Prevention
• SRM Home – MIRECC / CoE
• Survivor Voices (Certificate – Summer 2013 Release)
• Training and Access Project (TAP) is an initiative within Boston Children’s Hospital Neighborhood Partnerships (BCHNP) that offers high-quality professional development and consultation services to Boston schools to help build capacity to address students’ social, emotional, and behavioral health needs.
• The Connecticut Women’s Consortium (Live & online)
• VHA Train – Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD) (va.gov)
• Webinars jointly offered by the Rocky Mountain MIRECC, the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and the Veterans Health Administration Employee Education System

Free Trainings from the VA CT:

The VA Connecticut HealthCare Suicide Prevention Program offers these trainings at no cost. See the document below for training and contact information.

VACT Training List

Free, Evidence-Based, Web-Based Training Resources:

• Columbia – Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
  Note: Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale – Brief Screener is now available as an App for Androids, iPhones and iPads, thanks to a partnership with a PA group.
• Counseling Access to Lethal Means
• Preventing Suicide in Emergency Department Patients This online course teaches professionals who work in emergency departments how to conduct screening, assessment, and brief interventions with patients at risk of suicide.
• Safety Planning Intervention Training
• Safety Planning for Youth Suicide Prevention
• Structured Follow-up and Monitoring for Suicidal Individuals This free, online training from the New York State Office of Mental Health and Columbia University describes what structured follow-up and monitoring is and how it can help suicidal individuals
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center Training
• Suicide Risk Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating
  • Program Provider Application Web Based Training DMHAS
  • CSSRS-LMS CME Application Form
  • Dr. Kelly Posner Bio
  • Evaluation CSSRS
• TIP 50: Addressing Suicidal Behavior in Substance Abuse Treatment
  • Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment Video
  • Addressing Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment Guidebook

Safety Planning:

• Barbara Stanley on Safety Planning-Video
• Counseling Access to Lethal Means
• Safety Planning Template
• Safety Plan Treatment Manual to Reduce Suicide Risk: Veteran Version
• Safety Plan Intervention to Reduce Suicide Risk Among Military Personnel and Veterans
• Stanley and Brown Article on Safety Planning Intervention: A Brief Intervention to Mitigate Suicide Risk

For more information, please refer to the resources listed above or contact us.

1 WORD Campaign at Trainings:

Please don’t forget to promote the CT Suicide Prevention Campaign at your trainings. You can request materials, and access images and PSA videos.

Get Materials