Suicide Prevention: Responding with Care
Free · On-demand · 3 CE hours · Learn at your own pace
at your pace and convenience.
After completing this course, you will be better prepared to:
summarize facts about suicide (e.g., trends, risks, protective factors, and warning signs);
describe the 5 Action Steps model of suicide prevention;
support persons experiencing suicidal thoughts;
identify resources and make referrals;
explain the importance of following up - within your role - with those who are at risk;
describe why sociocultural attunement is essential in suicide prevention;
ask someone directly about suicidal thoughts;
identify your own emotions and responses to others at risk of suicide; and
understand the importance of seeking support and supervision as needed.
This course discusses suicide risk and prevention in the context of training for Traditional Health Workers. We recognize that some learners may bring personal or lived experience to this topic. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or visiting 988lifeline.org.
Traditional Health Workers, broadly defined, and all those who help people and families navigate health care, connect with resources, build trust with providers, and access culturally responsive care.
Community Health Workers (CHW),
Peer Support Specialists (PSS), including Family Support Specialists, Youth Support Specialists, Recovery Peers, and Mental Health Peers,
Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS),
Birth Doulas,
Qualified Mental Health Associates (QMHA),
other Traditional Health Workers (THW).
This online training provides practical guidance for recognizing and responding to suicide risk with care, confidence, and compassion. You’ll learn about suicide trends, risk and protective factors, and warning signs, while developing skills for asking directly about suicidal thoughts and supporting someone who may be at risk. The course introduces the 5 Action Steps model of suicide prevention and explores how to connect individuals with appropriate resources, make referrals, and follow up within the boundaries of your role. You’ll also consider the importance of sociocultural awareness in suicide prevention, as well as how your own emotions and responses can affect this work.
The course includes case studies, skill demonstrations, presentations, and readings.
This course includes videos of experienced traditional health workers demonstrating clinical skills in scenarios adapted from real sessions. Clients are portrayed by actors. This provides authenticity while protecting client privacy.
We suggest you take your time, view content as many times as you like, and access suggested readings and resources when possible. It is not necessary to complete the course in a single sitting. You are free to open and close the course as many times as you like.
Once you have reviewed and mastered the content, you will be required to pass short quizzes before you are eligible for verification that you have successfully completed the course.
This 3-hour course is approved by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for Traditional Health Workers and by MHACBO for continuing education. The course addresses suicide risk assessment, treatment, and management consistent with Oregon's suicide-prevention continuing education requirements under ORS 676.866. Licensed professionals should verify that the course meets the continuing education requirements of their licensing board.
Thank you for providing this information/training, it will be very helpful in my field of work.
Thank you for providing this information/training, it will be very helpful in my field of work.
Read LessThis training does an excellent job of showing how to respond to youth in distress with empathy and care. The scenarios feel realistic, and the guidance is c...
Read MoreThis training does an excellent job of showing how to respond to youth in distress with empathy and care. The scenarios feel realistic, and the guidance is clear about what to say—and what to avoid—when someone is grieving or expressing vulnerability. I especially appreciated the emphasis on active listening, respecting the young person’s feelings, and not rushing to “fix” the situation. It helped reinforce the importance of building trust and creating a safe space for open conversation. Overall, it’s a valuable resource for anyone working with youth or supporting individuals through difficult emotional experiences.
Read LessGreat break down of information.
Great break down of information.
Read LessThis training is worth the time to take. Valuable information to help us change the way we think about handling suicide prevention.
This training is worth the time to take. Valuable information to help us change the way we think about handling suicide prevention.
Read LessThis course did a great job of keeping me engaged. It had a good balance of videos, quizes, audios, readings and exercises.
This course did a great job of keeping me engaged. It had a good balance of videos, quizes, audios, readings and exercises.
Read Lessn/a
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Read LessThe text was simply to understand
The text was simply to understand
Read LessThis course was very helpful. I was impressed with the quality of the course. The videos were authentic and dealt with the reality of working with clients wh...
Read MoreThis course was very helpful. I was impressed with the quality of the course. The videos were authentic and dealt with the reality of working with clients who are suicidal. I especially liked the inclusion of self-care and how to deal with the difficulties of being a health care worker dealing with suicide.
Read LessI thought the course was wonderful. it shows how u are doing a lot by not doing a lot.
I thought the course was wonderful. it shows how u are doing a lot by not doing a lot.
Read LessThis training was very informative; I learned many useful suicide prevention skills.
This training was very informative; I learned many useful suicide prevention skills.
Read LessThis education module proved to be very helpful, as it gave real world strategies for working with patients, and showed real world interactions as examples. ...
Read MoreThis education module proved to be very helpful, as it gave real world strategies for working with patients, and showed real world interactions as examples. It is highly recommended.
Read LessCertificate of completion will be made available on the Student Dashboard after you complete all required course activities and the course evaluation survey.
Free of charge, courtesy of Oregon Health Authority.
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