TLC: Building A Better Suicide Risk Assessment: The Nuts and Bolts of the Columbia Protocol

Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Virtual Training

Description of Training: 
The Columbia Protocol (C-SSRS) (www.cssrs.columbia.edu) is now widely recognized as a gold-standard, innovative suicide risk screening tool. It has been implemented in many systems across the US and abroad with tremendous benefit– identification of people who would have otherwise been missed while redirecting scarce resources. Evaluation in hospital-based psychiatric emergency departments when it is not necessary is costly, sometimes traumatic, and may be less effective in routing people into ongoing care. This workshop will review the development of the C-SSRS and its administration, covering its items predictive of increased risk. Participants will learn about how to administer the full and screening versions of the tool, how to use the checklist of risk and protective factors, how to customize the tool and how to interpret results.  Population-specific editions will also be reviewed (very young children, military)

Speaker: Adam Lesser is a licensed clinical social worker, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a Deputy Director for the Columbia Lighthouse Project at the New York State Psychiatric Institute where he assists with all suicide prevention activities related to public health including the international dissemination and implementation of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). 

The White House recently highlighted the C-SSRS as helping to achieve the President’s mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. Jim Shelton, former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, says the C-SSRS “has the potential to keep the 64 million children in our schools safe physically and mentally by helping prevent school violence.” Leadership of Israel’s national suicide prevention program articulated the impact: “It’s not only saving millions of lives but in Israel it is literally changing the way we live our lives.” The former President of the American Psychiatric Association noted the C-SSRS could be “like the introduction of antibiotics.” 

Mr. Lesser has published, presented internationally and consulted to state and local governments on best practices for suicide risk identification and prevention and has trained over 100,000 individuals on the Columbia Protocol. His work has been featured in Social Work Today Magazine and on Atlanta National Public Radio, CNN-espanol, Univision and other local print and television media outlets.

1. Explain how screening with the C-SSRS can be used to identify at-risk individuals and identify steps taken to implement a comprehensive screening program that includes targeted and public health approaches to prevention.
2. Describe how utilizing a systemic best practice measurement, the C-SSRS, to identify suicidal ideation and behavior results in improved identification and precision, which ultimately saves lives.
3. Learn the types of suicidal ideation and the four behaviors that are predictive of imminent risk, how to administer the C-SSRS full and screener scales and list long and short term risk and protective factors.

*This activity has been moved to Zoom due to winter weather forecast.

Please check your email for your unique Zoom registration link.

Purchases are final. Refunds will only be issued until 1/10/24.

 

To be added after registration closes please email: [email protected]

In support of improving patient care, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Social Workers (The New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners):  This program is approved for social work continuing education hours by Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care in accordance with New Jersey administrative code 13:44G-6.4 and recognized by The New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners.  This program is approved for 1.5 clinical continuing education hours.

Psychologists: Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and RBHS is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and RBHS maintains responsibility for the program and its content. (1.5 CE Credits). 

Certified Counselors:  Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6198.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. (1.5  Clock Hours)

Disclosure: In accordance with the disclosure policies of Rutgers and to conform with Joint Accreditation requirements and FDA guidelines, individuals in a position to control the content of this education activity are required to disclose to the activity participants: the existence of any relevant financial relationship with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, with the exemption of non-profit or government organizations and non-health care related companies, within the past 24 months; and the identification of a commercial product/device that is unlabeled for use or an investigational use of a product/device that is not yet approved.

Faculty: Adam Lesser has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Peer Reviewers: Stephanie Marcello, PhD, Laura Burns, LCSW, Therese Saulo Reseska, LPC, LCADC, NCC, ACS have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Planners: Laura Burns and Maureen Brogan have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
Rutgers UBHC Center for Continuing Education: Laura Burns, Program Coordinator, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Off-Label/Investigational Use Disclosure: Faculty are required to disclose discussion of off-label/investigational uses of commercial products/devices in their presentation. These disclosures will be made to the audience at the time of the activity.

Content Disclaimer: The views expressed in this activity are those of the faculty. It should not be inferred or assumed that they are expressing the views of any manufacturer of pharmaceuticals or devices or Rutgers University.

It should be noted that the recommendations made herein with regard to the use of therapeutic agents, varying disease states, and assessments of risk, are based upon a combination of clinical trials, current guidelines, and the clinical practice experience of the participating presenters. The drug selection and dosage information presented in this activity are believed to be accurate. However, participants are urged to consult all available data on products or procedures before using them in clinical practice.

Copyright © 2023-2024. Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. All rights reserved including translation into other languages. No part of these activity may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the Rutgers.

Technical questions and CE related questions or comments: Please direct comments or technical questions or concerns to Rutgers UBHC Center for Continuing Education (CCE) by email at [email protected]

General Attendance (1.50 hours), LPC/LAC: NBCC CE Clock Hours (1.50 hours), Psychologist: APA CE Credits (1.50 hours), Social Worker: NJBSWE CE Credits (1.50 hours)

The registration form for this activity is currently unavailable.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

All relevant financial relationships for all individuals in control of content have been mitigated.

No faculty are available for this activity at this time.