Contents

Resources

Professional Development for Clinical Staff

Child and youth mental health clinicians, and other allied professionals, have an ongoing responsibility to maintain their competency in assessing and treating suicidal youth and their families. Staying up-to-date with the published research and clinical literature, attending professional conferences and workshops, knowing where and how to access specialized knowledge and expertise, accessing regular supervision, receiving feedback on therapeutic assessment and intervention skills, understanding relevant policies and legislation, and incorporating practice guidelines into one’s clinical practice are all important components for maintaining clinical competency in this area. Attending advanced level clinical training, either on-line or through face-to-face training seminars, on a regular basis is also highly recommended.

A number of different professional development opportunities exist for child and youth mental health clinicians to update and maintain their clinical competencies in the assessment and treatment of individuals at risk for suicide.

For example, the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), in partnership with the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), offers training workshops on suicide risk assessment and treatment which have been specifically designed to meet the needs of practicing mental health professionals. These professional development workshops go beyond standard gatekeeper training programs and are highly recommended for those working in a therapeutic or clinical relationship with potentially suicidal youth and their families. For more information about these professional development training opportunities, click on the links below: