Purpose: Approximately 45 percent of all individuals who die by suicide visited a primary care physician in the month preceding their death. Yet according to the Utah Behavioral Health Workforce Suicide Prevention Survey, only 57 percent of physicians said they were confident in their skills to help/assist a suicidal individual. This training will provide physicians with training and resources in suicide screening and risk assessment/triage, brief evidence-based interventions to reduce suicide risk, skills in communicating with patients at risk of suicide, and an increased understanding of available resources. 

Learning Objectives

Following this activity, participants should be able to:

1. Describe the epidemiology of suicide
2. Identify the warning signs and risk factors for suicide
3. Assess a patient’s suicide risk
4. Develop a safety plan with the patient
5. Access available resources

Continuing Education

The UMA Foundation is accredited by the Utah Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The UMA Foundation designates this internet activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosures

All those involved in the planning and presentation of this activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

This activity is supported by a grant from the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

Course Date

Release Date: September 30, 2021

Expiration Date: September 30, 2024

You must complete the initial self-assessment, the educational module, and the evaluation in order to receive credit. The evaluation will test your knowledge; you must receive at least a 80 percent on the T/F and Multiple Choice to receive credit. In addition, you must complete a thoughtful self-reflection statement before your CME certificate can be sent. You will receive an electronic certificate of award or certificate of completion after you finish the activity.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means- Utah (CALM-Utah)

Register: CALM

Conversations about suicide can be uncomfortable. When the stakes are high, effectively engaging with a patient to encourage safety can be difficult. Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) will teach how to ask a suicidal client or patient about their access to lethal means, while working with the patient and families to reduce their access. CALM provides education on how to effectively communicate about means reduction in a supportive and engaging method. This allows the patient and family to engage in personal problem-solving and set acceptable goals to reduce access to lethal means while in a crisis. CALM gives the provider concrete tools and sample language to support this process and follow up care.