AMSR

Assessing & Managing Suicide Risk:

Core Competencies for Mental Health Professionals

Objectives

Participants will:

  1. Gain knowledge in the following core competencies: maintaining an effective attitude and approach; collecting accurate assessment information; formulating risk; developing a treatment and services plan; and managing care.
  2. Experience increased willingness, confidence and/or clarity in working with individuals at risk for suicide.
  3. Build fundamental skills in assessing suicide risk.
  4. Identify changes to make in their practice, specific to the assessment and management of individuals at risk for suicide.

Components

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk includes:

  • Pre-workshop reading materials.
  • 6 1/2 hours of training, comprised, of an engaging mix of lecture and exercises.
  • A 110-page participant manual, including an extensive bibliography and other valuable resources.
  • Multiple video segments featuring David Jones PhD demonstrating several key competencies.
  • Journal throughout the day.
  • Time for discussion.

Sponsorship:

The SPRC Training Institute funds the dissemination of Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) through fees from sponsoring organizations and participants. There is a participant fee of $115 per participant, plus trainer fee and travel.

Results:

Over 20,000 mental health professionals have attended AMSR workshops in the United States and abroad. Participant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

  • “Good information to have for anyone who might come into contact with clients at risk, which is anyone working with clients.”
  • “This was the best presentation I have ever attended dealing with mental health issues bar none.”

In addition to post-workshop surveys, the SPRC Training Institute collaborated with researchers at the Universities of Rochester and Michigan to evaluate the AMSR curriculum  using staff at the counseling centers of four universities  as workshop participants. Using a pre-/post-test design with a 6 month follow-up survey, participants showed statistically significant gains in knowledge after taking the workshop. Perhaps more importantly though, self-assessment of both confidence and competence in assessing and managing suicidal patients increased significantly; and increases were sustained at the 6 month follow up. Participants identified many specific improvements in their own practice during the 6 months following the AMSR workshop.