Name
E2 - Changing the Conversation: Suicide is a Social Problem, not a Mental Health One
Date
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Time
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM (EDT)
Speakers
Description
45% of those who die by suicide saw a primary care provider (PCP) within 1 month of their suicide – 20% saw a PCP within 24 hours of their suicide. A recent study found therapists less willing to treat suicidal patients due to therapists’ self-identified lack of training and resources. Less than 50% of graduate training programs in mental health provide formal instruction on suicide risk assessment, and such training equals 90 minutes on average. Yet, the larger medical neighborhood relies on mental health professionals to manage suicidal patients. The mental health system is not the sole solution for reducing suicide in North America. Boosting the skills of all medical and non-medical providers is part of the solution. This session will explain how suicide is a social condition, requiring social remedies and other interventions that can be performed by anyone in the community who has the proper training.
Session Type
Concurrent
Objective 1
Explain why suicide is a persistent problem that is not abating.
Objective 2
Identify how non-mental health and medical providers can be more effective in treating suicidal patients.
Objective 3
Apply key information from the session to explain how key non-healthcare professionals can help prevent suicide.
Content Reference 1
Kleespies, P. M., Feinman, A., AhnAllen, C. G., Hausman, C., Thach, T., Woodruff, J., ... & Bongar, B. (2023). A national survey of doctoral psychology education and training in suicide risk and violence risk assessment and management. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, 53(4), 666-679.
Content Reference 2
Kennedy, S. R., Buck-Atkinson, J., Moceri-Brooks, J., Johnson, M. L., Anestis, M. D., Carrington, M., ... & Betz, M. E. (2024). Military community engagement to prevent firearm-related violence: adaptation of project safe guard for service members. Injury epidemiology, 11(1), 1-7.
Content Reference 3
Nichter, B., Hill, M. L., Fischer, I., Panza, K. E., Kline, A. C., Na, P. J., ... & Pietrzak, R. H. (2024). Firearm storage practices among military veterans in the United States: findings from a nationally representative survey. Journal of affective disorders, 351, 82-89.
CEUs and CME
1 CEU/CME; 1 Ethics Credit
