Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Mental Health Professionals (AMSR)

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) is a series of one-day or half-day trainings designed for health and behavioral health professionals interested in the latest intersectional suicide care practices.

AMSR Curricula

• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Health and Behavioral Health Professionals Working in Outpatient Settings (AMSR–Outpatient) is a 6.5-hour in-person training for behavioral health clinicians with a master’s degree or above.
  
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Behavioral Health Professionals Working in Inpatient Settings (AMSR–Inpatient) is a 6.5-hour in-person training for behavioral health clinicians with a master’s degree or above.
  
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk for Direct Care Staff Working in Outpatient Health and Behavioral Health Care Settings is a 3.5-hour training for staff who provide direct care to clients and support the clinicians managing client treatment.
  
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk for Direct Care Staff Working in Inpatient Behavioral Health Care Settings is a 3.5-hour training for staff who provide direct care to clients and support the clinicians managing client treatment.
  
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Professionals is a 6.5-hour in-person training for providers who offer any level of substance use treatment to clients at risk for suicide.

Participants who complete a full-day AMSR-Outpatient, AMSR-Inpatient, or AMSR-Substance Use Disorder (SUD) training are eligible for 6.5 continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) credits. Credit offerings vary by curriculum.

Program Objectives

After training, participants will have:

1. Increased knowledge in the following core competencies: maintaining an effective attitude and approach, collecting accurate assessment information, formulating risk, developing a treatment and services plan, and managing care.
2. Increased willingness, confidence, and clarity in working with individuals at risk for suicide.
3. Increased ability to identify how they can better care for individuals at risk for suicide.

Implementation Essentials

• Training by an authorized AMSR trainer.

2012 NSSP Objectives Addressed: 

Objective 7.2: Provide training to mental health and substance abuse providers on the recognition, assessment, and management of at-risk behavior, and the delivery of effective clinical care for people with suicide risk.

Objective 9.1: Adopt, disseminate, and implement guidelines for the assessment of suicide risk among persons receiving care in all settings.