In 2020, suicide was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], National Center for Injury Prevention and Control [NCIPC], 2020). Rates of suicide among youth continue to increase, making it essential for behavioral health clinicians and other professionals working with adolescents and transition age youth to understand the dynamics of suicide among young people.

After providing a foundation on how widespread the problem is and the prevailing theories about the drivers of suicidal behaviors, this course will teach you about how to effectively screen potentially suicidal youth and ways you can intervene to lower their risk.

The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, case management/care management, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services settings with skills for reducing suicide risk in adolescents and transition age youth.