Youth and Adult Suicide: Recognition, Assessment, and Treatment of Suicidality with Randi Jensen

6 CEs (meets WA state Suicide Assessment requirement) Recorded: Fall, 2024

This workshop meets the Washington State suicide assessment requirements for re-licensure. The Washington State Department of Health has approved this 6-hour workshop for its 2024 Model List. This workshop also satisfies the continuing education requirements set by the Department of Health related to suicide assessment, management, and treatment.

Historically, mental health treatment for suicidal individuals has involved extensive psychopharmacology, repeated cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology methods, stress reduction exercises, and/or deep therapy into family-of-origin issues, all proven individually insufficient for the long-term prevention of suicide and suicidality.

The World Health Organization (2019) reported decreasing trends in suicide mortality in most countries across the world. Unfortunately, the mortality of suicide showed an increasing trend in the United States. Between 2000 and 2018, the suicide rate skyrocketed, increasing by a whopping 35% (CDC, 2020). Interestingly, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, there was a decrease in suicide rates. This was short-lived, unfortunately, as suicide rates began to increase again by 2% in 2022 (CDC, 2022).

What can we do? As clinicians, we need to understand there are many roads to suicidality — each usually requiring individual intervention.

This workshop presents original concepts in the development of suicidality as an ingenious coping mechanism that develops over time. The brain’s neuroplasticity forms neural pathways that underpin the reinforcing suicidal thought pattern. Brain retraining provides the formation of new healthful neural pathways. The healing process is directed, encouraged, and supported through a specifically designed peer protocol based on existing evidence-based social support.

Research shows that the first suicide attempt is often the first time anyone intervenes. However, it is generally not the first time the danger has been known. Loved ones just don’t know what to do. They take the suicidal individual to a hospital or professional where the treatment protocol has not changed for decades. When the suicidal individual comes home after the attempt, family and friends don’t know how to help prevent the next one. The Jensen Suicide Peer Protocol (JSP3), based on evidence-based principles, is a prescribed method for the family members and concerned others to take an active part in the recovery of their loved one. Randi has used this method for decades and has saved lives.

OBJECTIVES:

• Describe the extent of suicide in the general and special populations, including children, adolescents, and military • Distinguish what suicidality is and the difference between self-harm and suicidality • Explain the psychobiology of suicidality and its progression • Articulate warning signs and symptoms using simple and effective suicide assessment tools • Express and practice Motivational Interviewing techniques used in counseling suicidal individuals • Explain a life-saving peer support protocol and how to implement it • Describe ethical considerations, documentation, and confidentiality issues.