Resource

The presence of a competent, confident, and well-trained workforce at every level of care is critical to individuals at risk of suicide. Data from more than 15,000 health and behavioral health care staff who utilized an online Zero Suicide Workforce Survey indicates that, among those interact with patients or clients, only half had received training in suicide screening or risk assessment and only about a third felt strongly that they had the appropriate knowledge, skill, confidence, and comfort in providing care for individuals at risk of suicide.

It is clear that opportunities remain for improving workforce readiness and ensuring that staff are adequately trained to care for individuals at risk for suicide. While assessing workforce readiness is critical, organizational leadership must also acknowledge and take responsibility for training deficits and prepare staff to deliver evidence-based suicide care. The Zero Suicide Workforce Survey is a free online tool that organizations can use to assess staff knowledge and comfort in working with individuals at risk for suicide.

In this webinar, you will hear from leaders of three health care organizations who used the results of the Zero Suicide Workforce Survey to establish a culture where staff training is a critical and ongoing part of providing quality care. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: (1) describe how surveying staff can support system-wide culture change critical to patient safety and continuous quality improvement, (2) understand staff readiness to provide suicide-specific care, and (3) explain the purpose and utility of the Zero Suicide Workforce Survey to health care staff.