Interprofessional Education Suicide Prevention College Curriculum
A Course Implementation Guide
Most of the time licensed counselors, clinicians, and other behavioral health providers do not receive adequate suicide prevention education and training. However, these are the professionals that individuals experiencing a suicidal crisis often seek out. Thus, there is an immediate need for widespread implementation of a contemporary suicide prevention course for many types of students—especially those students entering in the behavioral health field. OSPF along with The University of Cincinnati, Old Dominion University, & the University of North Carolina at Charlotte have created this course for colleges and Universities to offer their undergraduate and graduate health profession students. OSPF is offering this course and all of its materials to interested institutions willing to provide this course as in person, online, or blended option in its entirety.
Covered topics:
- Foundational Competencies in Suicide Prevention
- Clinical/Individual Competencies (Tertiary Prevention)
- Social/Interpersonal & At-Risk Group Competencies (Secondary Prevention)
- Community-Based Competencies (Primary Prevention & Postvention)
Key findings on course effectiveness:
- The interprofessional suicide prevention course demonstrated sizable gains in suicide prevention related efficacy and knowledge.
- Increases in perceived ability to help self-harming patients, suicide prevention knowledge, and beliefs that persons dying by suicide possess characteristics consistent with depression and isolation.
- Participants expressed notably high intent to engage in best available intervention and prevention practices, draw on best available public health practices, and participate in interprofessional teams