Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Therapy Professionals

Course Overview
Each year, according to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (ASFP), 49,000 people die from self-directed injurious behavior that results in suicide (ASFP, 2025). This translates roughly into an average of 117 deaths by suicide per day. The foundation estimates the numbers to be higher due to the stigma surrounding suicide that leads to underreporting, and the fact that data-collection methods critical to suicide prevention lack uniformity. The rates of both suicides and suicide attempts are increasing among all age groups and are especially alarming for certain segments of the population. Even more importantly, in recent years it has been identified that suicide rates and emergency department visits for suicidal behavior among adults, adolescents and youth are rising across the US (Kuehn, 2020).

Learning Outcomes 
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:

• Analyze terms related to suicide and suicidal behavior. 
• Assess the prevalence of suicide and suicide attempts across the United States. 
• Categorize incidence and risk among different populations, including racial/ethnic groups, adolescents, older adults, veterans, and the gender diverse. 
• Assess incidence and risk among those with psychiatric diagnoses. 
• Categorize key risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs in the etiology of suicide. 
• Differentiate effective and efficient assessment of youth and adults who may be at-risk for suicide. 
• Classify essential components of decision-making and documentation with respect to suicide assessment and intervention. 
• Differentiate approaches to intervention and safety planning to manage individuals exhibiting suicidal ideation and other risk factors for suicide. 
• Predict effective prevention and intervention programs for at-risk youth and adults.

About the Author/Presenter 
Edward A. Selby, PhD, is an associate professor and the director of clinical training in the clinical psychology PhD program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Dr. Selby’s extensive research and clinical experience has sought to improve our understanding and treatment of suicidal behavior, personality disorders, and eating disorders. He has written more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters, and he was named a “Rising Star” by the Association for Psychological Science in 2015. Much of his work is aimed at understanding the emotional experiences related to suicidal behavior and self injury, as well as the factors among different psychiatric disorders that increase risk for suicidal behavior, including eating disorders and personality disorders. Dr. Selby’s research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Janssen Pharmaceutica, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Dr. Selby is a licensed practitioner and has been trained extensively in major treatments for suicidal behavior and crisis intervention, including cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness-based interventions. More information about Dr. Selby’s research program can be found on the Emotion and Psychopathology Laboratory at Rutgers website: www.edwardaselby.com. 

Audience/Accreditations and Approvals 
Colibri Healthcare 
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details): 
Occupational Therapy

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