Suicide Prevention for OT, PT and SLP with Christine Weible

What you'll learn

Course overview

In the United States, approximately 49,000 people die by suicide each year. And, unfortunately, the rate of suicide has increased substantially since 2000, up about 30%. Suicide remains among the 10 leading causes of death among persons aged 10-64 years and is the second leading cause of death among those aged 10-14 and 25-34. While these trends are multifactorial, they are particularly distressing because evidence-based approaches to screening and intervention are better established than ever. Yet confidence and training in these approaches remain too low - even among behavioral health workers. OTs, PTs, and SLPs are uniquely positioned to recognize warning signs through repeated, relationship-based care, but most receive little formal training in suicide prevention. This course seeks to address that gap. We'll cover the basics of: -What to watch for -Evidence based Screening -Evidence based intervention -And, the role of the team. We'll anchor our discussion in one of the most comprehensive evidence-based frameworks available: the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide (2024). And we'll be joined by Christine Weible-Cruz, LCSW, to get practical on what these guidelines look like in frontline care.