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BRIDGES: RISK ASSESSMENT WITH SUICIDAL YOUTH

CharlesEtta Sutton, MSW, BCD and Karen Dunne-Maxim, RN, MS

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

University Behavioral Healthcare-Office of Prevention Services

1-800-762-2889

Suicide is among the three leading causes of death for young people aged 15 to 24, the other two being accidents and homicides. Although no single theory can account for all suicides, and no single measure can prevent ' all of them, professionals agree that suicide can be reduced through efforts to enhance the intervention and assessment skills of "gatekeepers". Bridges, is a training package/program, intended for "gatekeepers" who provide clinical Consultation and programming to school staff and other professional groups responsible for youth. Although the training program was created for school still, any professional (e.g., probation workers, youth workers, college counselors, dormitory resident assistants, clergy, and behavioral health workers) interested in gaining specific suicide prevention skills would find tile program useful.

The goal of the crisis-intervention training is to increase the professionals' knowledge, skill, and comfort in responding to suicidal adolescents. The intent of the training is not to create therapists, but rather to provide youth workers with skills that will help them identify at-risk youngsters and connect these youngsters with appropriate behavioral HealthCare services, Although we may not be able to prevent all suicides, we may be in a position to buy time and save lives. Crisis Intervener need to know what to do and how to respond when at-risk youth are identified. Concrete policies, Organizational strategies, and skilled internal resources need to exist within a school/youth agency to maximize prevention efforts,

Bridges specifically focuses on the staff of these agencies who are the key internal resources, "gatekeepers". Three principles influenced the design of Bridges

• A strong belief in the need to address both the co@cognitive and affective aspects in teaching suicide prevention. It is not enough to know about the warning sign,- or to know bow to intervene with ;suicidal youth. One must also be in touch with and in charge of one's thoughts and feelings, Anxiety and fear of managing a suicidal crisis can immobilize professionals and lead them to over-or under-react, regardless of their knowledge base. As such, Bridges gives equal weight to the cognitive and affective components involved in the learning process and structures course material to facilitate both.



• If staff are to be effective in preventing suicide, then they need to be taught in a way that max@es the learning process and ensures the transfer of knowledge to their work setting, 'Therefore Bridges was designed as a "how to" course, to build concrete skills. A variety of teaching devices are used throughout the course, and exercises are included to give staff "hands-on" experiences.



• If suicide prevention is to become a continued effort once the "expert,%" leave the site, then a course must address system issues that impact on the management of suicidal behavior. Thus, emphasis is placed on helping agencies to devise internal support networks, to develop linkages with out-side agencies, and to evaluate policies and strategies for the management of suicidal behavior.

Bridges consists of 16 hours of training and follows the structure of combining didactic presentations with an experiential component. Different audio-visual materials are used to highlight points and stimulate thinking, Participants meet in small groups and are given structured exercises that expand on the lectures and provide opportunities for skill-building, as well as exploration of attitudes, concerns, and reactions. Participants are encouraged to bring in specific case examples that need discussion. A creative blend between structure and flexibility is utilized in the delivery of the program.

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