13320 Counsel on Access to Lethal Means (CALM): Part 1

Course overview

Discussion of suicide in the United States, including rates and methods, why the method is important in regards to lethality, important factors to consider when a person is in the acute phase of a suicidal crisis, comparisons of different endings in a case scenario and how they may impact the outcome, and the basic components of lethal means counseling. Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and was responsible for more than 47,000 deaths in 2017, resulting in about one death every 11 minutes. While its causes are complex and determined by multiple factors, the goal of suicide prevention is to reduce factors that increase risk and increase factors that promote resilience. Suicide and other forms of violence can be prevented by using a public health approach that addresses risk and protective factors for multiple types of violence. This program discusses suicide statistics in the United States, various means of committing suicide, why the means are so important in regards to lethality in a suicide attempt, and gives a brief overview of lethal means counseling.