Telehealth Suicide Assessment and Prevention with Adolescents

Sarah Solis, LCSW 

Training Description

This training will focus on suicide risk factors, protective factors, assessment of risk severity, and safety planning in the context of telehealth. Attendees will identify potential challenges when assessing suicidality by text, on the phone, and while using video platforms. The training will cover standardized and non-standardized suicide assessment tools and the means of titrating the use of these for telehealth. Attendees will then translate assessment information into a dynamic safety plan that includes warning signs, formal and informal supports/contacts, supportive environments, and coping strategies. Attendees will discuss how to address the limitations of confidentiality for the different telehealth modalities. The training will include large group discussion, breakout groups, and the use of vignettes.

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will identify 2 strategies to enhance telehealth suicide assessment.
• Attendees will create a safety plan.
• Attendees will be able to describe how initiate emergency contact via phone.

Agenda

9:00 - 9:15      Introductions and objectives

9:15 - 9:45      The challenges of suicide assessment and prevention via telehealth

9:45 - 10:15     Confidentiality and telehealth

10:15 - 10:30    Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

10:30 - 11:00    Assessment

11:00 - 11:30    Safety planning

11:30 - 12:00    Initiating emergency contact; Course evaluations

Meet Our Trainer

Director of Seeds of Change Consulting, Sarah Solis LCSW, has 12 years of experience providing care to clients impacted by trauma. She is currently employed as a Clinical Case Manager at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sarah has worked in corrections, community mental health outpatient and day treatment programs, medical social work, and community-based services for children and families. Sarah has experience providing direct service, clinical supervision, and worked as a program manager for many years.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.