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Resources

Working with Youth at Risk

Child and youth mental health professionals who have existing clinical competencies and specialized skills are well-positioned to provide therapeutic care and follow-up to individuals and groups identified to be at risk for suicide. This level of targeted clinical intervention requires skills and competencies in assessment, crisis intervention, safety planning, treatment, as well as collaboration with others, including family members.

Suicidology experts in the United States have recently identified a series of specific clinical competencies related to the assessment, treatment and management of suicidal clients.

The main purpose of this section is to quickly summarize some key concepts and principles regarding the effective assessment and treatment of suicidal youth. Child and youth mental health practitioners are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the empirical and professional literature in this area. Several excellent resources that provide an overview of effective clinical approaches for assessing and treating suicidal youth have recently been developed, including the high-quality comprehensive text Adolescent Suicide: Assessment and Intervention (Berman, Jobes & Silverman, 2006).

Additional suicide risk assessment and treatment resources developed specifically for counselors and mental health practitioners can be found on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center website.

For a list of other recommended readings in this area click here.