SPRC—Filling a Critical Void

Only in the last decade has suicide been recognized in the U.S. as a significant public health problem. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, establishing a framework to prevent suicides across the country. As part of the strategy, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) was created to help states and communities implement and evaluate suicide prevention programs. It is run by EDC’s Health and Human Development Division with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

With mental health and health care professionals eager for training in suicide prevention, SPRC established a Training Institute devoted to developing and disseminating prevention curricula. Several types of trainings are currently offered: online courses, Webinars, one-day courses, and multi-day courses.

“We discovered there was an enormous need for suicide assessment training,” says Xan Young, a project director with SPRC. “Some mental health professionals indicated they had as little as 45 minutes of training in this area. We tried to fill the need as part of our mission to help save lives.”

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk is a popular one-day, competencies-based training developed by SPRC’s Training Institute for mental health practitioners. The curriculum is built around clinical core competencies determined by national mental health leaders. These include:

• Maintaining an effective attitude and approach
• Collecting accurate assessment information
• Formulating risk
• Developing a treatment and services plan
• Managing care

“This training provided a lot of key tips to use as a clinician to assist the suicidal client. It made me think about different things that I should be doing while interacting with clients,” said Stephanie Berens, a case manager at Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Wyoming who works with adult and children that have a serious mental illness. “Because of this training, I have become more confident of myself when dealing with clients.” Berens was so impressed with the training that she gave a presentation about it to the other clinicians at her hospital.

Since the training was first offered in March 2006, over 11,800 mental health professionals have participated in it, as well as members of the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps. In addition, 100 professionals in 25 states now authorized to lead the training, and clinicians who participate in it can receive continuing education credits.

Thus far, the curriculum is working: An evaluation of the impact of the training found “statistically significant gains” in the knowledge, confidence, and competence among clinicians. Six months after the training, gains had been sustained.

The one-day curricula was developed using a sustainable, fee-for-service business model. The unique design ensures that all direct and indirect expenses associated with disseminating and evaluating the course are covered. The revenue also allows for the opportunity to update and expand the course in the future.

“First and foremost this course is about saving lives,” declares Young. “That’s why we created the curricula. Hopefully, it will continue to evolve, expand, and reach more people.”