Suicide Safety Planning: From Assessment to Lethal Means Counseling
Safety planning is not paperwork — it is a clinical intervention that extends the therapeutic relationship into the hours and days when a clinician is not present. This 3-hour continuing education course provides a comprehensive, evidence-based foundation in suicide safety planning: the research base supporting collaborative safety planning as an effective suicide prevention strategy, the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention model and its clinical implementation, lethal means counseling and the evidence for means restriction, safety planning with specific populations (adolescents, older adults, LGBTQ+ clients, veteran populations), and the integration of safety planning into standard clinical workflow. You will leave with specific language, practical tools, and confidence to create safety plans that function as genuine clinical resources for clients in crisis.
3
CE Hours
4
Modules
18
Quiz Questions
1
Est. Minutes
What you'll learn
- Describe the epidemiology of suicide in the United States and distinguish between suicidal ideation, intent, plan, means, and attempt.
- Apply validated risk assessment frameworks including the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and stratify risk into low, moderate, high, and imminent categories.
- Implement the six steps of the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention collaboratively with a client.
- Conduct lethal means counseling, including means restriction conversations regarding firearms and medications.
- Adapt assessment and safety planning approaches for adolescents, veterans, LGBTQ+ clients, and older adults.
- Identify hospitalization criteria and apply clinician self-care and supervision strategies when working with suicidal clients.
Who it's for
Licensed mental health professionals (LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, NCCs)
Approval & credit
CounselorReady is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7760). This course awards 3 NBCC-approved CE hours; a certificate is issued on completion. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CounselorReady is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.