Today, suicide risk is the most common emergency encountered by clinical psychologists and other clinical mental health providers. The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention calls for an increase in suicidology training for psychologists and clinicians, but despite the urgency of this issue, higher education institutions have made few efforts to educate schools and communities on suicide risk. The result is a dramatic increase in adolescent suicide, which is now considered to be a public health epidemic. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is getting ready to do our part in addressing this crisis.
“The rate at which our adolescents are losing their lives to suicide is at an all-time high. This has been a national tragedy unfolding right before our eyes for some time. We cannot sit back and continue to let suicide be a leading cause of death for young people. Let’s make suicide prevention a priority. Let’s push through any and all barriers to save 45,000 lives a year.” – Dr. Michele Nealon, President, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
The Chicago School’s Institute for Adolescent Suicide Prevention enjoyed an internal launch in August last year, and will launch to the public this spring. Its mission is to become the premier resource for professionals, organizations, and communities seeking new ways to address adolescent suicide. The institute has several projects in the works to address the need for suicide risk training and awareness in our professional community. First up is the annual Suicide Prevention Expo, which the Institute will host at the Los Angeles Campus on April 15th. This event will be open to TCSPP faculty and staff, as well as a limited number of TCSPP students. Several organizations and leading experts in the field will be in attendance, providing networking and training opportunities for participants. Please mark this date on your calendars, and be on the lookout for more information about this important event.
The Institute is led by Dr. Michael Pines, a TCSPP clinical supervisor and adjunct faculty member. He established the Los Angeles County Child and Adolescent Suicide Review Team, a multi-disciplinary task force that reviews child and adolescent suicides, analyzes trends, and makes recommendations aimed at the recognition and prevention of suicide and suicidal behaviors. His work played a major role in our Southern California Campuses becoming the first graduate program in California to offer training dedicated to equip clinical students with knowledge and skills to assess and manage suicide risk. The Chicago School has delivered training in Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk for students and practicing professionals since 2014. The State of California has since adopted a requirement for graduate schools for psychologists and other mental health professionals to provide training in suicide prevention.
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