Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

Skill: Advanced

Type: Clinical Intervention

Duration: 2.5Hrs

Thoughts of suicide and the impulse to die can escalate quickly, but they often fade and may never arise again. This course teaches mental health professionals and healthcare providers about lethal means counseling, which helps ensure that clients can make it through suicidal crises alive and access the support they need. Counseling on Access to Lethal Means starts by discussing statistical trends in suicide rates in the United States, why it makes a difference to reduce access to lethal means, and the lethality of various methods of suicide. Then, the course covers the basics of lethal means counseling, how to discuss safe storage of firearms and medications with clients, and other tips for staying safe during a suicidal crisis. The course finishes with a series of case studies demonstrating counseling on access to lethal means in action. Throughout its three modules, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means uses a selection of learning tools such as live filmed role plays, instructive animations, and interactive assessments. With the support of subject matter experts, printable resources, and supplemental videos, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means will prove an invaluable asset to your practice.

LEARNING HUB OVERVIEW:

• Estimated Course Length:  2 hrs. and 27 mins.
• CE Credits: 2.25 continuing education hours for social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, physicians, and nurses / 1.50 continuing education hours for counselors
• Course Includes: 3 modules consisting of a mixed media approach with roleplays, video interviews with subject matter experts, animation explainer videos, knowledge games and more 
• Refresher Videos: 8 provider videos to highlight key concepts
• Supplementary PDFs: 15 downloadable PDFs expanding on relevant course topics
• Target Audience: Mental Health Providers (licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, licensed psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, behavioral health nurses); Physicians; Nurses
• Level of Instruction: Advanced
• Prerequisite: None
• Instructional Method: Self-paced, interactive, hybrid of audio, text, video, and learning checks 
• Accessibility Accommodations: Closed captioning of all audio and video components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
  
  

*Disclaimer: This course is intended for providers who are licensed or pursuing licensure, as listed above in the target audiences. The education provided in this course is one step toward competency in using the clinical intervention(s) described, but it should be combined with additional supervision, consultation, and/or training. Completion of this course does not give you permission to consider the specific populations, treatment approaches, or clinical concerns as within the scope of your practice capabilities. It is recommended that you consult the appropriate jurisdictions, licensing bodies, and professional code of ethics relevant to your specific licensure type to determine further action needed prior to implementing any of these clinical interventions or treating any of the clinical concerns or presenting issues depicted in the course.

COURSE LEARNING TARGETS
Course Objectives

What the learner should be able to describe and employ upon course completion:

1. Summarize the relationship between reducing access to lethal means and lowered mortality rates.

2. Compare the effects of helpful versus unhelpful language when talking about firearms with an at-risk client.

3. Describe the use of evidence based communication techniques in session to help at-risk clients reduce their access to lethal means.

MODULE OVERVIEWS:

Module 1: Why Means Matter

Trends in suicide rates in the U.S., focusing on the “how”, why means matter, suicidal crises, lethality of methods, ambivalence, long-term survival, why firearms matter most, and CALM as it applies to Robert’s story.

Module 2: CALM Basics and Filmed Clinical Sessions

Lethal means counseling for firearms, establishing common ground, overview of lethal means counseling, when to address the topic of suicide and lethal means, indication for lethal means safety counseling, limits to the screen &  treat model, suicide plans, motivational interviewing, language and collaboration matters, firearm storage, firearms and behavioral objectives, enlisting others in reducing access, when a client is a minor, CALM as it applies to Jason’s story,  guns for self-defense, managing anxiety, reintroducing lethal means, lethal means counseling for medications, safer prescribing, speaking with patients, other methods, CALM as it applies to Delia’s story, and documentation of the plan  and follow-up.

Module 3: Virtual Role-Plays

CALM as it applies to Shane’s, Ramon’s, Lin’s, Carol and Mitch’s, and Harold’s stories.

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

This continuing education activity is provided through a collaboration between Psych Hub and AffinityCE. Through this collaboration, this activity will provide continuing education for physicians and nurses; through Psych Hub’s  independent accreditation, this activity will provide continuing education for psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and counselors.

For inquiries regarding CE policies related to CMEs or CNEs, please contact ce@affinityced.com.

For inquiries regarding CE policies related to CEs for psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and counselors, or for more information on Psych Hub's continuing education programs, email ce@psychhub.com.

REFUNDS & GRIEVANCES:

To view our Refund Policy, click here.

To view our Grievance Policy, click here.

DISCLOSURES:

Catherine Barber has had the following relationships with non-profit organizations within the past two years: payment as a SME on a lethal means counseling course for American Academy of Pediatrics; payment as a SME on a lethal  means safety intervention for New York Foundation; payment as a SME for a report on Firearm Data Infrastructure Needs in the US for Rand; position partially supported by the Joyce Foundation and the National Collaborative on Gun  Violence Research at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

Elaine Frank has no relevant disclosures to make.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST RESOLUTION:

Conflicts of interest have been resolved through peer review of content by a non-conflicted reviewer.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT:

No commercial support was provided for this activity.

CONTINUING EDUCATION ACCREDITATIONS: 

Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)  through the joint providership of AffinityCE and Psych Hub. AffinityCE is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.  AffinityCE designates this live activity for a maximum of 2.25 hour of AMA PRA Category 1  Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Nurse CE is provided for this program through collaboration between Psych Hub and AffinityCE. AffinityCE is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the  American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). This activity provides 2.25 contact hour of nurse CE credit.  American Psychological Association (APA)  Psych Hub is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program and its content.  Psychologists completing this course receive 2.25 continuing education credits.

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

Psych Hub, #1750, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE  providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing  education credit. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2020  – 08/20/2021. Social workers completing this course receive 2.25 clinical continuing education credits.

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)

Course meets the qualifications for 2.25 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Psych Hub is  approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this  program/course and its content. CAMFT Approval #1000074.

National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)

Psych Hub has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7051. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Psych Hub is solely  responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education hours.

CE CREDIT CALCULATION:

ACCME, ANCC, APA, CAMFT, & ASWB Credit Calculation

Continuing education credits for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists are calculated by averaging pilot test times, rounded down to the nearest quarter hour. This allows for inclusion of  interactive elements (e.g., assessments) and learner variance. However, regardless of pilot test times, the number of continuing education credits will never exceed 2 hours more than the combined video and voiceover length.

Average Pilot Test Length: 2 hours 27 minutes

NBCC Credit Calculation

Continuing education hours for counselors are calculated by summing the length of all course videos and voiceover, rounded up to the nearest quarter hour. This does NOT include time taken to complete interactive elements of the  course.

Combined Video and Voiceover Length: 1 hour 13 minutes

TIMED COURSE OUTLINE:

Since the course is interactive and each learner will proceed at their own pace, timing is not exact. These are approximations based on average pre/post-test time of pilot testers as well as the run-time of course videos and  voiceover. This course does not have to be completed in one session.

Course Activities for CE Credit (≥ 1 hour 40 minutes)

● Pre-Course Assessment (~10 minutes) [EXCLUDED FROM ACTIVITIES FOR NBCC CREDIT]

● Module 1: Why Means Matter (20+ minutes)

● Module 2: CALM Basics and Filmed Clinical Sessions (47+ minutes)

● Module 3: Virtual Role-Plays (6+ minutes)

● Post-Course Assessment (~17 minutes) [EXCLUDED FROM ACTIVITIES FOR NBCC CREDIT]

Course Activities NOT for CE Credit

● Participant Evaluation (5-10 minutes)

● (OPTIONAL) Supplementary Video Review

● (OPTIONAL) Written assignment to earn Psych Hub Certification

Course Completion Requirements

To complete the course, learners must do the following:

● Take the pre-course assessment (no score requirements)

● Review all modules

● Take the post-course assessment (passing score: 85% or higher*)

● Complete the course evaluation

*Learners may attempt the post-course assessment up to three times to earn a passing score. If a learner does not earn a score of at least 85% on their third attempt, they will not receive credit for the course.

Obtaining Certificates of Completion

After completing the pre-course assessment, reviewing all modules, completing the post-course assessment with a score of at least 85%, and completing the participant evaluation, learners will automatically receive a certificate of  completion.

DISCLAIMER: Psych Hub receives financial support from organizations in the healthcare industry, but these entities do not control or direct course content. For more information on our Conflicts of Interest Policy, find it by navigating to the footer of our website.

• Estimated Course Length:  2 hrs. and 27 mins.
• CE Credits: 2.25 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, physicians, and nurses / 1.50 continuing education hours for counselors and marriage and family therapists
• Course Includes: 3 modules consisting of a mixed media approach with roleplays, video interviews with subject matter experts, animation explainer videos, knowledge games and more 
• Refresher Videos: 8 provider videos to highlight key concepts
• Supplementary PDFs: 10 downloadable PDFs expanding on relevant course topics
• Target Audience: Mental Health Practitioners (licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, licensed psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, behavioral health nurses); Physicians; Nurses
• Level of Instruction: Advanced
• Prerequisite: None
• Instructional Method: Self-paced, interactive, hybrid of audio, text, video, and learning checks 
• Accessibility Accommodations: Closed captioning of all audio and video components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
• Completion Requirements: To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post test quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.
• Financial/Commercial Support Statement: This course has no commercial support.
• Conflict of Interest: This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.
• Grievance and Refund Policies: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.
• Participation Costs: The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.

Course Objectives

What the learner should be able to describe and employ upon course completion:

1. Summarize the relationship between reducing access to lethal means and lowered mortality rates.

2. Compare the effects of helpful versus unhelpful language when talking about firearms with an at-risk client.

3. Describe the use of evidence based communication techniques in session to help at-risk clients reduce their access to lethal means.

Since the course is interactive and each learner will proceed at their own pace, timing is not exact. These are approximations based on average pre/post-test time of pilot testers as well as the run-time of course videos and voiceover. This course does not have to be completed in one session.

Course Activities for CE Credit (≥ 1 hour 40 minutes)

● Pre-Course Assessment (~10 minutes) [EXCLUDED FROM ACTIVITIES FOR NBCC CREDIT]

● Module 1: Why Means Matter (20+ minutes)

● Module 2: CALM Basics and Filmed Clinical Sessions (47+ minutes)

● Module 3: Virtual Role-Plays (6+ minutes)

● Post-Course Assessment (~17 minutes) [EXCLUDED FROM ACTIVITIES FOR NBCC CREDIT]

Course Activities NOT for CE Credit

● Participant Evaluation (5-10 minutes)

● (OPTIONAL) Supplementary Video Review