Identification, Prevention and Treatment of Suicidal Behavior

Description

In this training module, rates of suicide, risk and protective factors, and pathways leading to suicidal behavior are reviewed. Stages and levels of suicide prevention are also covered, including military suicide prevention initiatives. Participants learn cognitive-behavioral strategies for assessing and managing suicidal behavior in Service members.

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Outline

1. Public health significance of suicide

   1. Global and national statistics

   2. Most common methods used to commit suicide

   3. Rates by ethnicity

   4. Rates among veterans

   5. Rates among service members

2. Suicide prevention pathways

   1. Biological to social continuum

   2. Framework for prevention

   3. Stages in prevention

   4. Types of prevention

   5. Developmental trajectory

   6. Suicide and its association with PTSD

3. Assessment of suicidal behavior

   1. General basic guidelines

   2. Suicide nomenclature

   3. Self-report questionnaires (e.g., BDI, BHI)

   4. General risk factors

   5. Military risk factors

   6. Military protective factors

4. Development and implementation of a safety plan

   1. Four main components

   2. Coping strategies

   3. Emergency contact list

   4. How to implement a safety plan

   5. Important reminders

5. Cognitive therapy for suicide behavior

   1. Treatment based on Brown et al., 2005

   2. Underpinnings of treatment

   3. Design of study

      1. Goals and aims of study

      2. Overview of therapy, its main objectives, and structured protocol

      3. Importance of conceptualizing what led to “suicide mode”

      4. Review of psycho educational pre-session

      5. Review of 10 sessions used in protocol

      6. Review of healthy coping strategies to teach

      7. Review of common distorted cognitions to address

      8. Importance of relapse prevention and practice “exposure”

      9. Results of study

6. Dysfunctional therapist thoughts when working with suicidal patients

Learning Objectives

1. To identify the rates of suicide in the general population and in the military population.

2. To become more aware of risk and protective factors for suicidal behavior in the military population.

3. To review basic clinical strategies and self-report tools to use with suicidal patients.

4. To learn how to develop and implement a safety plan with a suicidal patient.

5. To learn the main procedures and strategies used in cognitive therapy with suicidal patients as researched by Brown et al., 2005.

6. To identify several coping strategies that can be taught to suicidal patients to manage suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviors.

Notes

Military Culture & Terminology and The Deployment Cycle and Its Impact on Service Members and Their Families are recommended as prerequisites. One exercise may require participants to form pairs and walk around for 5 minutes so the room must be large enough for this activity.

*Continuing education credits are available for this course. Fees may apply.

CDP Training Request Form.