Programs Suicide Risk Assessment: A Practical Clinical Approach
Suicide Risk Assessment: A Practical Clinical Approach

Suicide Risk Assessment: A Practical Clinical Approach

Learn a practical, evidence-informed approach to suicide risk assessment. Develop the skills to assess risk, formulate findings, and support safe patient care.

About this Program

Suicide risk assessment is one of the most important and often most challenging clinical skills in healthcare. Whether working in primary care, emergency medicine, hospital settings, or community practice, clinicians need a structured, evidence-informed approach to assessing suicide risk and making appropriate management decisions.

Through practical, case-based learning, this program equips participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct comprehensive suicide risk assessments, identify risk and protective factors, formulate an overall level of risk, and communicate assessment findings clearly and compassionately to support safe, patient-centred care.

Courses


Resources

Canadian Armed Forces Clinician Handbook on Suicide Prevention
This clinician handbook was prepared by the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA), in collaboration with Directorate of Mental Health, as a resource to assist clinicians when working with patients at risk of suicide. Zaheer J, Eynan R, Links PS, et al. Canadian Armed Forces clinician handbook on suicide prevention. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Psychiatric Association; 2017.
Suicide and self-harm
Intervention and prevention must include both a clinical and community focus, and every health professional has a crucial part to play. This article outlines some of the challenges clinicians face. Knipe D, Padmanathan P, Newton-Howes G, Chan LF, Kapur N. Suicide and self-harm. Lancet. 2022 May 14;399(10338):1903-1916. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00173-8. Epub 2022 May 2. PMID: 35512727.

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