Description
CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) provides mental health professionals within a healthcare team working with Veterans and their families an increased knowledge about the association between access to lethal means and suicide and the role of means restriction in preventing suicide.
Accessibility to lethal means contributes to suicide. Therefore, reducing access to lethal mean is an evidence-based strategy for suicide prevention. Working with patients and their families to develop a specific plan to reduce access to lethal means and follow-up on the plan over time is one of the strategies for suicide prevention.
Increased utilization of safety plans addressing access to lethal means is an outcome for this training. From this Live Virtual training, providers will have a better understanding of lethal means and be able to advise patients on means reduction techniques. Family awareness and participation in means reduction will result in suicide prevention.
Objectives
- Participants will identify how reducing access to lethal means is an evidence-based strategy for suicide prevention;
- Participants will explain how reducing access to lethal means can prevent suicide;
- Participants will identify clients for whom lethal means counseling is appropriate;
- Participants will describe strategies for raising the topic of lethal means and to feel comfortable and competent in applying these strategies with clients;
- Participants will discuss how to advise clients on specific off-site and in-home storage options for firearms and strategies to limit access to dangerous medications;
- Participants will discuss how to develop a specific plan to reduce access to lethal means and how to follow up on the plan with clients and families
Questions? Contact Mimi Habhab at Mimi.Habhab@idph.iowa.gov