Suicide Prevention: Screening and Assessment Concepts

Course overview

Despite concerted efforts among healthcare providers to identify individuals at risk of suicide, it remains a leading cause of death in the U.S. Among all age groups, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death and it is the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10 to 34. There has been a steady increase in suicide rates in the U.S. by 36% between 2000 and 2018. The rate has declined slightly in 2019 and 2020 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023a). This course will provide you with information about the numerous risk and protective factors of suicide. You will learn effective screening approaches you can use to identify elevated risk. You will also learn how to follow a positive screening with an in-depth clinical assessment. The goal of this course is to provide healthcare professionals with skills to identify individuals at increased risk of suicide.