The Resilient Veteran

Training on Assessment of PTSD and Suicide Risk Management in Veterans
2024-08-14 08:00 - 2024-08-15 17:00 (America/New_York)
This training is funded by the PTSD Consultation Program at VA’s National Center for PTSD and presented in collaboration with VA’s Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program and the Center for Deployment Psychology.
Summary:
Cultural competence for clinicians working with Veterans and Service members includes developing familiarity with unique aspects of military culture that impact clinical care as well as common clinical issues faced by these populations. Accurate and comprehensive assessment of PTSD and suicide risk is important for developing effective treatment plans for Veterans and Service members. This two-day workshop aims to introduce participants to military culture and help them develop skills in assessing for two important clinical issues: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide risk.
Day One
An overview of military culture will be provided including basics about its history, organizational structure, core values, branches of the service, mission and operations, as well as the differences between the active and reserve components. Participants acquire greater competency in working with Service members and Veterans by learning military culture and terminology, and by discussing how aspects of the military culture impact behaviors and perspectives. The remainder of day one will review a method for screening, assessment, and treatment outcome monitoring of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) centered on the use of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Participants will be introduced to VA/DOD best practices for diagnosing military-related PTSD including screening for trauma-related disorders, obtaining thorough military and trauma histories, conducting a semi-structured diagnostic interview, and using self-report measures to track treatment outcome. Interactive exercises and video demonstrations will be used to help develop participants’ PTSD assessment skills.
Day Two
Veteran suicide remains a significant public health concern, with those diagnosed with PTSD at potentially elevated risk. Clinicians with the VA Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program will review risk factors and discuss empirically-supported best practices for suicide assessment, prevention, and intervention with Veterans, including lethal means safety counseling and collaborative safety planning.
Target Audience:
Licensed behavioral health providers who regularly treat U.S. Veterans (or who intend to treat U.S. Veterans) in the community can apply. This training is not intended for behavioral healthcare providers currently working in VA or DoD settings.
Continuing Education Details:
For specific information on the number and availablity of Continuing Education credits, please read the CE advertising memo here. Please send customer service requests to cds_support+cdp@affinityced.com.
Learning Objectives:
Attendees will be able to:

Characterize the structure and major components of the United States military.
Analyze common characteristics of the military population and how they compare to the general population.
Substantiate the importance of a distinct culture to the military.
Appraise elements of the military experience and lifestyle that are integral to military culture.
Apply the VA/DOD Guidelines for the Assessment of Trauma and PTSD.
Discriminate between symptoms of PTSD and other disorders based on the DSM-5.
Facilitate the screening, diagnostic assessment, and tracking of treatment outcomes in PTSD patients using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).
Communicate results of diagnostic assessments as well as treatment outcome measures to clients to facilitate effective treatment.
Apply suicide risk identification methods, including identifying warning signs, predictive analytics, and screening.
Conduct a comprehensive suicide clinical risk assessment to include a review of assessment goals, suicidal ideation, and history of suicide, and identification of warning signs and both risk and protective factors for suicide.
Utilize the results of a suicide clinical risk assessment to develop a suicide risk formulation.
Provide recommendations for the documentation of suicide risk based on the outcomes of the suicide clinical risk assessment.
Differentiate between acute and chronic suicide risk and descriptors for low, intermediate, and high-risk status.
Justify the use of lethal means safety counseling as a best practice for suicide risk management.
Apply the recommended methods for lethal means safety counseling for firearms, medications, and other environmental risks to US Veterans.
Collaboratively develop and utilize an effective safety plan to mitigate suicide risk.

Application Information:
Applications can be completed through the Eventbrite system. All initial applicants will be waitlisted until the application is vetted through the CDP/VA Project Managers. Applicants will be notified by email of the decision within approximately two weeks of the application.
Cost/Refunds:
Zero cost, no refund policy
Online Via Zoom
14-15 August 2024, 10:00 – 18:30 Eastern time – Click Here for Registration!
Special Accommodations:
If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Micah Norgard at micah.salas.ctr@usuhs.edu at least two weeks prior to the training so that we may provide you with appropriate service.
Presenters
Kevin Holloway, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist working as the Director, Training and Education at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, he leads a team of subject matter experts and support staff to develop and present workshops across the world to military and civilian audiences on topics in deployment of behavioral health and evidence-based therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Additionally, he leads a team of mental health subject matter experts and technology experts to develop and disseminate technology solutions to improve access to and quality of professional training.
Jenna Ermold, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist working as the Assistant Director of Training and Education for the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Ermold oversees the development of online and face-to-face trainings for behavioral health clinicians to improve clinical and cultural competency in working with military members and their families. Dr. Ermold also presents workshops on deployment behavioral health topics for clinicians across the country.
Lauren M. Borges, Ph.D., is a clinical research psychologist at the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for suicide prevention. She holds an academic appointment of Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her primary line of research concerns the use of contextual behavioral interventions like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help veterans and health care providers approach emotions like guilt and shame more flexibly. She is federally funded to investigate different applications of ACT for moral injury and for suicidal behavior in veterans and health care providers.
Lisa-Ann Cuccurullo, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at the National Center for PTSD, where she works on a team that facilitates the use of empirically supported treatments for veterans in rural areas. Her clinical work has focused on cognitive behavioral treatments for PTSD (and other post-trauma-related symptoms), such as Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She is a national Prolonged Exposure consultant in VA. Before joining the staff of the National Center for PTSD, she was the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator and Assistant Director of Psychology Clinical Training at the Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Health Care System and a clinical instructor at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Cuccurullo’s current research interests focus on the implementation of empirically supported treatments and posttraumatic symptom presentation. Dr. Cuccurullo received her doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University and completed her clinical internship and a PTSD-focused fellowship at the Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Health Care System.
Hal S. Wortzel, M.D., is a forensic neuropsychiatrist at the Rocky Mountain MIRECC, where he serves as Director of Neuropsychiatric Consultation Services and Co-director for the National Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program. He is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at of the University of Colorado, and serves as the Michael K. Cooper Professor of Neurocognitive Disease, and as Faculty for the Program in Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Wortzel maintains a private practice in Forensic Neuropsychiatry & Behavioral Neurology, and has consulted on numerous criminal and civil cases. Areas of research/scholarship interest include suicide risk management, aggression and suicide in the context of PTSD and TBI, brain injury litigation, and the application of emerging neuroscientific tools to the legal arena.
Megan Harvey, Ph.D., received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Cincinnati. She has held multiple positions within VA over the past 13+ years, including Local Recovery Coordinator, Local Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Coordinator, and Section Chief of Outpatient Services at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System. In 2018, Dr. Harvey joined the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention where she serves in the role of Program Evaluator for the Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program, is on the technical assistance team for the national Suicide Risk Identification Strategy and is a consultant for the Advanced Training in the Safety Planning Intervention (ASPI). Dr. Harvey’s interests include evidence-based interventions that promote recovery and mitigate suicide risk as well as program evaluation. She believes strongly in the mission of VHA and is honored to be contributing to Veteran services.
Ryan Holliday, Ph.D., is a Clinical Research Psychologist at the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention and Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. His clinical and research interests focus upon understanding the intersection of trauma, psychosocial stressors (such as homelessness and justice involvement), and mental health. He is further interested in translating these findings into evidence-based practice.

What's Changed in the 2024 Revised CPG for Suicide Prevention?
2024-08-14 14:00 - 16:00
What’s Changed in the 2024 Revised CPG for Suicide Prevention?
August 14 • 2:00pm ET
The 2024 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for the Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide was just released. This program will familiarize participants with the new CPG, emphasizing changes that are particularly relevant to clinical practice. Strategies for implementing the new CPG and various recommendations will be offered.
Following this live lecture, participants will be able to:

Increase their familiarity with the new 2024 CPG for assessment and management of suicide risk, including pertinent changes.
Implement the new CPG for the assessment and management of patients at risk for suicide in their clinical practice.

Register online.

INTEGRATING TRAUMA INFORMED CARE INTO SUICIDE RESPONSE (ITIC)
2024-08-19 12:00 - 13:00
INTEGRATING TRAUMA INFORMED CARE INTO SUICIDE RESPONSE (ITIC)
Suicide Prevention Training
The Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response course will describe the role of trauma in both risk for suicide behaviors and in coping with suicide loss. It is a one-hour virtual training primarily designed for those who work with people at risk for suicide, such as health care providers and social service professionals.
The curriculum covers the role of trauma in suicide risk, the SAMHSA principles of trauma informed care, as well as specific trauma informed strategies to utilize with survivors of suicide.
Trainings are open to anyone and will be delivered virtually, via Zoom.
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention
Call: 878-208-8186
Email: pag109@pitt.edu
SIGN-UP TODAY!
https://tinyurl.com/4p6kamf7
Upcoming ITIC Training Sessions:

Monday, August 26th, 2024 from 11:00 AM -12:00 PM

Integrating Spiritual Supports for Veterans
2024-08-21 13:00 - 15:00
Wednesday August 21, 2024: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EST
Presented by VA’s Homeless Programs Office, National Center on Homelessness among Veterans, in collaboration with VHA’s Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD)
Audience: Multidisciplinary staff serving Veterans at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness. Participants may include but are not limited to physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, case managers, housing specialists, peer specialists, occupational therapists, team leaders, supervisors, addiction specialists, and Network Homeless Coordinators.
Modality: Virtual conference (webinar)
Credit/hours: 1
Accreditations: ACCME, ACCME-NP, ANCC, AOTA, APA, ASWB, NBCC, ADA, NYSED, SW, CRCC
Overview:
Offering Veterans spiritual support could tackle a number of risk factors impeding health and well-being post-homelessness. Spirituality, as defined by Veteran Health Administration’s (VHA) Whole Health model of care, entails an individual’s search for meaning or purpose in something (e.g., an entity or experience) larger than oneself; it encompasses but is not wholly defined by formal religion. Supporting spirituality may counter mental health conditions and substance use which are notable risk factors for homeless status.
This webinar will review findings from a VHA quality improvement project conducted across HUD-VASH programs in New England; findings suggested that enhancing efforts to offer spiritual support within these programs would better address the needs of Veterans who desire such support.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this educational session, learners will be able to:

Describe the spiritual support preferences that exist among Veterans in New England’s HUD-VASH system.
Explain barriers to offering spiritual support that may be present within New England’s HUD-VASH system.
Identify strategies to create opportunities for how HUD-VASH could best offer spiritual support through collaborative efforts.

Registration: To receive credit for attending, VA employees need to register in TMS before the training begins:
To find a course when logging into TMS:
Go to Learning, scroll down to My Learning, type in Course # and Title
VA TMS 131013225 Integrating Spiritual Supports for Veterans in HUD-VASH: An Evaluation
Be sure to click Register Now rather than Assign to Me or Start Course
If you are external to the VA or Non VA staff you must have a registered TRAIN account AND register for todays training in TRAIN PRIOR to commencing training, failure to do so will result in CEUs not being awarded.
If you do not have a TRAIN account please click the link: https://vha.train.org.
VA staff register here
Non-VA staff Register here
For questions with TMS/TRAIN registration, please contact clarice.lewis@va.gov or lee.furry@va.gov

Tobacco, Nicotine and PTSD
2024-08-21 14:00 - 16:00
Tobacco, Nicotine and PTSD
Wednesday, August 21 at 2 pm ET
Register online
Tobacco use, and cigarette smoking in particular, is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. There have been significant declines in cigarette use in the general and Veteran populations, however the prevalence of tobacco use remains relatively high, especially in particular health disparity subgroups, such as veterans with PTSD. While it is well known that tobacco cessation can reduce the risk for adverse effects on physical health, evidence also indicates that tobacco use exacerbates symptoms of PTSD and smoking cessation reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. Although VA providers who treat PTSD commonly encounter tobacco users, many feel they do not have adequate skills to provide behavioral counseling to assist with cessation efforts. As such, tobacco use is often not addressed and/or evidence based intervention elements are not provided, representing missed opportunities to address this critical health behavior. Tobacco cessation treatment training is not routinely provided, either in the context of professional training or within healthcare facilities. Teaching providers basic tenets of behavioral counseling for treating tobacco dependence will increase confidence in and likelihood of addressing patient tobacco use behaviors. To this end this presentation will provide education regarding the effective elements of brief behavioral counseling for treatment of tobacco dependence.
About the Presenter
MARK MYERS, PhD is a clinical psychologist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System where he serves as the Lead Tobacco Cessation Clinician, having provided tobacco treatment to Veterans for over 25 years. Dr. Myers is also Deputy Director of the VA National Tobacco Cessation Clinical Resource Center, under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Tobacco & Health, engaged in program development, consultation and tobacco treatment training across the VA system. He is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego and has been involved in tobacco use and treatment research throughout his career.

QPR Training
2024-08-23 14:00 - 16:00
QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and warning signs that someone may be at risk of suicide.
Pennsylvania suicide rates, especially in rural counties, are higher than the national average. QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is an individual who can recognize a crisis and the warning signs of someone possibly contemplating suicide. Anyone can become a gatekeeper: parents. friends, neighbors, teachers, athletic coaches, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, etc. Gatekeepers come from all walks of life and do not require any prior training or education.
You can access the registration online. Please contact us if you experience challenges with registration.
We look forward to meeting you at an upcoming training session!
QPR Training Sessions
• Friday, August 23, 2024, 2:00-4:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 11 :00 AM-1:00 PM
• Monday, September 16, 2024, 12:00-2:00 PM

INTEGRATING TRAUMA INFORMED CARE INTO SUICIDE RESPONSE (ITIC)
2024-08-26 11:00 - 12:00
INTEGRATING TRAUMA INFORMED CARE INTO SUICIDE RESPONSE (ITIC)
Suicide Prevention Training
The Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response course will describe the role of trauma in both risk for suicide behaviors and in coping with suicide loss. It is a one-hour virtual training primarily designed for those who work with people at risk for suicide, such as health care providers and social service professionals.
The curriculum covers the role of trauma in suicide risk, the SAMHSA principles of trauma informed care, as well as specific trauma informed strategies to utilize with survivors of suicide.
Trainings are open to anyone and will be delivered virtually, via Zoom.
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention
Call: 878-208-8186
Email: pag109@pitt.edu
SIGN-UP TODAY!
https://tinyurl.com/4p6kamf7

Butler, PA Community Mental Health Summit
2024-09-10 08:00 - 17:00
SAVE THE DATE for the annual Butler VA Health Care System’s Mental Health Summit to be held on September 10. This year’s theme is “Stop the Stigma!” In-person attendance will be limited, but there will be an option to participate virtually. The event will be held at the Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center, Auditorium, located at 353 North Duffy Road, Butler, PA 16001. Please call 878-271-6172 to register or for more information.

QPR Training
2024-09-10 11:00 - 13:00
QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and warning signs that someone may be at risk of suicide.
Pennsylvania suicide rates, especially in rural counties, are higher than the national average. QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is an individual who can recognize a crisis and the warning signs of someone possibly contemplating suicide. Anyone can become a gatekeeper: parents. friends, neighbors, teachers, athletic coaches, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, etc. Gatekeepers come from all walks of life and do not require any prior training or education.
You can access the registration online. Please contact us if you experience challenges with registration.
We look forward to meeting you at an upcoming training session!
QPR Training Sessions
• Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 11 :00 AM-1:00 PM
• Monday, September 16, 2024, 12:00-2:00 PM

Tribal-VHA Partnerships in Suicide Prevention Toolkit
2024-09-11 14:00 - 16:00
September 11, 2024 • 2:00pm ET

LECTURE TOPIC
Cultural Considerations Applied in Community: Tribal-VHA Partnerships in Suicide Prevention Toolkit
Register online
Native American Veterans have served in the United States military at a higher level per capita than any other race group. They also have the highest rate of suicide, and those rates continue to rise. While suicide prevention is often focused on clinical intervention in a moment of crisis, suicide prevention is also about community. And for Native Americans, community connection is critical.

VA’s S.A.V.E.(Signs of suicidal thinking, Ask questions, Validate the experience, Encourage and Expediate treatment) training brings the community into Veteran suicide prevention.
Tribal communities have time-honored approaches and practices grounded in culture, tradition, and Indigenous knowledge that can help prevent suicide.

The Tribal-VHA Partnerships in Suicide Prevention Toolkit provides guidance for interweaving these different but also often complementary approaches to suicide prevention. The Toolkit includes strategies and step-by-step guides for building partnerships and re-envisioning VA suicide prevention approaches with Tribal communities.
Following this live lecture, participants will be able to:

Describe the general characteristics of Native Veterans and the communities where they live.
Identify critical components of VA facility/team readiness for Tribal partnerships.
Describe key elements of the four steps in creating a plan for initiating or strengthening a Tribal community partnership.
Identify the critical elements of the VA S.A.V.E. training to adapt into a S.A.V.E. Conversation culturally appropriate for a Tribal community.
Assess the differences between implementing a VA S.A.V.E. training and an adapted S.A.V.E. conversation.

PRESENTER INFORMATION
Carol E. Kaufman, PhD.

Carol E. Kaufman, PhD. is a population scientist with the Veteran Rural Health Resource Center, Salt Late City (VA Office of Rural Health) and a professor at the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. With 25 years of experience in research and public health practice with Tribal communities, she is a social demographer with a strong interest in the cultural and community context of mental health and well-being, health services, and suicide prevention. A significant part of Dr. Kaufman’s work centers on Native American Veterans’ issues, efforts she has grounded within a strong community-engaged framework, working closely with Tribal communities to enhance partnership and collaboration in all aspects of her work.

Butler County, PA QPR Training Sessions
2024-09-13 09:00 - 15:00
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
The Butler County Suicide Coalition is holding an event each week in September to remember those we have lost while raising awareness and sharing prevention resources.
September 13: QPR Suicide Prevention Trainings. Learn how to save a life. Trainings are at BCHS at 9am and 1pm.
For more info or to register to attend either class session, contact Amy Cirelli at 724-284-5114.

QPR + CALM Training
2024-09-16 12:00 - 14:00
QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and warning signs that someone may be at risk of suicide.
This date also offers a 1-hour Counseling on Access to Lethal Means Training (CALM) directly after the QPR sessions. You can opt-in to one or both trainings.
Pennsylvania suicide rates, especially in rural counties, are higher than the national average. QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is an individual who can recognize a crisis and the warning signs of someone possibly contemplating suicide. Anyone can become a gatekeeper: parents. friends, neighbors, teachers, athletic coaches, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, etc. Gatekeepers come from all walks of life and do not require any prior training or education.
You can access the registration online. Please contact us if you experience challenges with registration.
We look forward to meeting you at an upcoming training session!
QPR Training Sessions
• Monday, September 16, 2024, 12:00-2:00 PM

Cognitive Behavioral Nightmare Therapies and PTSD
2024-09-18 14:00 - 15:00
Wednesday, September 18 at 2:00pm ET
The prevalence of nightmare disorder in the general population is 5%. Nightmares are typically characterized as idiopathic (i.e., from an unknown cause) or trauma-related (i.e., beginning or changing in frequency, severity, or content after a traumatic event). Nightmares are reported by 30% of trauma-exposed civilians, 50% of trauma-exposed veterans, and 30-40% of active duty military personnel and members of the National Guard. Among individuals diagnosed with PTSD, nightmare rates are higher and are reported by 57% of civilians with PTSD and 50-70% of active duty service members with PTSD. A variety of cognitive behavioral interventions show promise for the treatment of nightmares and also improve insomnia, PTSD, and depression. There is a wide range of names for the various treatments tested in randomized controlled trials, which creates challenges in comparing treatment efficacy by protocol in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Furthermore, there are not enough providers trained in CBT-N. This presentation will bridge the gap by summarizing data regarding the definition and prevalence of nightmares, providing an overview of CBT-N protocols, describing research of the efficacy of CBT-N in PTSD, and describing a newly developed, DoD funded, web-based provider training for CBT-N.
View event listing
Register online

About the Presenter

KRISTI PRUIKSMA, PhD, DBSM is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University
of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and a Diplomat for Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Her work focuses on clinical research and supporting dissemination of evidence-based treatments for sleep disorders and PTSD with a focus on active duty military personnel in affiliation with the STRONG STAR Consortium. She has published more than 50 empirically- reviewed articles and is currently the PI of a DoD funded project to build and test a web-based provider training for CBT for nightmares and a DoD funded project comparing CBT-I and BBT-I in active duty service members with postconcussive symptoms following Mild TBI.

Timely and Adaptive Strategies to Optimize Suicide Prevention Interventions
2024-09-19 13:00 - 15:00
Date/Time: September 19, 2024, 1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Virtual
Learn more and register online
Therapeutic interventions are now being applied in ways that may enhance timely and tailored strategies to address suicide risk. This approach requires ready access to end-user data that informs proactive intervention strategies. This webinar from the National Institute of Mental Health will consider 1) which data sources are best equipped to inform intervention strategies, 2) which intervention aspects should involve tailoring strategies vs. simpler approaches that may be just as effective, and 3) how such approaches can be incorporated into providers’ workflows within a health care setting.
This webinar brings together experts in areas that include passive and active data collection methods, the measurement of social contexts related to suicide risk, and the methodological aspects of Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAI). The goal is to provide insights into developing and testing JITAIs for suicide prevention and to offer guidance on incorporating these adaptive interventions into healthcare systems.

8th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference
2024-09-25 08:00 - 17:00
8th Annual
Suicide Prevention Conference
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024
Call for Proposals
This year’s conference will be held at the Ambassador Conference Center in Erie on Wednesday, 9/25/24. The annual conference typically draws around 200 participants from all over Erie County and beyond and hosts breakout sessions focusing on the area of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
This year’s theme is: Forging Ahead with Hope: Innovation in Prevention
The conference planning committee requests that all proposals for breakout sessions meet one of the following conference goals:
1). Building upon existing partnerships and expanding the reach of suicide prevention in our community.
2). Integration of suicide prevention into conversations and training initiatives in work, school, and other community settings.
3). Advancements in suicide prevention screening and assessment.
4). Improvement of access to emergency mental health care including crisis and suicide intervention in all communities.
5). Usage of research and data for improvement of outcomes relating to suicide prevention and intervention.
6). Development and implementation of resilience and hope in suicide prevention and intervention.
Breakout sessions will be 75-90 minutes in duration and are training opportunities in which the presenter(s) lead participants through lecture, exercises and/or skill development in a given domain as the material relates to one of the above stated conference goals.
· You may submit more than one proposal but each proposal must be a complete and separate submission.
· The deadline for proposals is 8/1/2024.
· Proposals will be reviewed for completeness and stated criteria, connection and relevance to the audience and conference goals, and qualifications of the presenter(s).
· You will be notified on or before August 15th, 2024 whether your proposal has been accepted
Step 1: Complete the online proposal form that requests the following information here: https://lnkd.in/eEHx5NHH (https://lnkd.in/eEHx5NHH)

What Happens to Veterans Who Leave the Military Under Other Than Honorable Conditions?
2024-09-26 16:00 - 17:00
The way a veteran’s service is characterized through the formal military discharge process can significantly impact their life. Most are discharged as “honorable,” which entitles them to veterans benefits and services due to their satisfactory service to the country.
Yet in the past two decades, those leaving service with an “other than honorable” (OTH) designation is rising. These veterans have limited to no access to veterans benefits in the years following their service. Many who receive OTH issuances are from minority groups. Some sustain service-related injuries and are prone to mental health challenges and substance use problems. They are also at increased risk of homelessness and suicide.
A panel of experts will discuss what we know about veterans who leave military service under OTH conditions and offer recommendations to improve the process of discharge characterization. They will discuss what this type of discharge means for veterans and their families, why and in what context veterans leave the military with an OTH discharge, and considerations for policy changes that would expand benefits for certain veterans in this group.
This webinar is part of a series of events organized by the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute to explore pressing policy challenges affecting veterans, their families, and their communities.
Register Online

Date:
September 26, 2024

Time:
4–5 p.m. ET
1–2 p.m. PT

DBT for Justice-Involved Veterans
2024-10-09 14:00 - 15:00
Veterans experiencing criminal-legal difficulties are at significantly elevated risk for suicide (~150 per 100,000) compared to their non-legally involved peers (~40 per 100,000). Addressing criminal-legal involvement is therefore key to effective Veteran suicide prevention. Through this live virtual, knowledge-based webinar, attendees will learn about a recently developed psychotherapy program specifically designed to decrease risk of future criminal-legal involvement and suicide risk.
Following this live lecture, participants will be able to:

Discuss suicide risk in Veterans experiencing criminal-legal involvement compared to Veterans not experiencing such involvement.
Describe assessment strategies to identify Veterans experiencing criminal-legal involvement.
Employ effective intervention strategies to mitigate the risk of criminal-legal involvement and suicide.

Register online

Suicide Prevention and SUD
2024-10-16 13:00 - 14:00
Substance misuse is the second most frequent risk factor for suicide.
The SP/SUD course is about how to recognize the warning signs of SUD and suicide, the intersection of SUD and suicide, and how stigma can affect help seekers and help givers. It is a one-hour virtual training designed for mental health professionals, health care providers, and social service professionals.
The SP/SUD curriculum covers the facts, warning signs, protective factors, and stigma associated with SUD and suicide, as well as proactive care strategies to consider. Trainings are open to anyone and will be delivered virtually, via Zoom.
SP/SUD Trainings (virtual):
• Wednesday, October 16, 2024 1:00-2:00 PM
• Tuesday, November 19, 2024 1:00 -2:00 PM
Free CEUs will be provided in EMS/LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT from UPMC.

Treating PTSD in Primary Care
2024-10-16 14:00 - 16:00
Treating PTSD in Primary Care
PTSD commonly occurs among primary care patients in both Veterans Affairs and community settings. Research demonstrates that most primary care patients with PTSD do not receive adequate PTSD treatment. Evidence-based screenings and treatments for PTSD that are appropriate for the primary care setting are now available. This presentation will detail gold standard screening methods and describe several brief treatments for PTSD, including their evidence base and current implementations status. Strategies for shared decision making on when to treat in primary care and when to referral to specialty mental health settings will also be discussed.

Kyle Possemato, PhD
Wednesday, October 16 at 2:00pm ET
Register to attend

Moral Injury in Service Members
2024-10-17 10:00 - 13:30
The Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) is offering a three and a half-hour workshop on Moral Injury in Service Members. The workshop will be held online via Zoom, 17 October 2024, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern. Space in this event is limited and registration will close when capacity is reached, even if this is before the final registration deadline.
Registration for the course is $25.
Moral injury may develop from exposure to events (acts of commission or omission) that transgress an individual’s deeply held values and beliefs, leading to negative psychological, spiritual, and social consequences. Morally injurious events can erode core beliefs about what is right and wrong in oneself or others—about goodness, trustworthiness, and benevolence. While it is an ancient concept that battlefield transgressions may inflict emotional harm on the warfighter, there has been growing interest in moral injury in the mental health field and other circles. Some experts suggest that the extended operations in Iraq and Afghanistan may have increased service members’ risk for developing moral injury, given the ambiguous nature of the operations, including unconventional guerrilla warfare and changing rules of engagement. More recently, researchers have reported on moral injury experienced by first responders and health care providers from COVID-19-related moral and ethical stressors.
This training will explore where morality comes from, define moral injury and describe how it develops, identify incidents that may contribute to it, and examine various assessment and treatment methods. The focus will be on moral injury in the military population, while recognizing that it also occurs in the civilian population. The presenter will encourage participants to consider challenges they face in identifying and treating moral injury, including how to create a nonjudgmental, safe space for clients to talk about it, and how to distinguish moral injury from common co-occurring problems such as PTSD. Military cases will be introduced to demonstrate approaches for assessing and addressing moral injury. This training is aimed at behavioral health providers and trainees working with service members and veterans as well as clinicians interested in trauma (Litz et al., 2022; Richardson et al., 2020; Rozek & Bryan, 2021).
Learning objectives:

Distinguish moral injury from morally injurious events and common co-occurring problems
Use appropriate assessment tools and measures to evaluate clients for moral injury
Apply effective strategies for the treatment of moral injury

QPR – Suicide Prevention
2024-10-22 10:00 - 12:00
QPR – Suicide Prevention
October 22, 2024 | 10:00AM–noon | Approved for 2 CE: UPITT | Session is Limited to 35 attendees

White Deer Run proudly offers free and accredited learning opportunities for licensed clinicians who are providing behavioral healthcare services.

New sessions are scheduled each month to support continued learning. These sessions are facilitated by local industry experts from both within and outside of the White Deer Run network.
Register online

QPR Training
2024-10-28 11:00 - 13:00
QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and warning signs that someone may be at risk of suicide.
This date also offers a 1-hour Counseling on Access to Lethal Means Training (CALM) directly after the QPR sessions. You can opt-in to one or both trainings.
Pennsylvania suicide rates, especially in rural counties, are higher than the national average. QPR is a two-hour educational program designed to teach professionals as well as lay “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. A gatekeeper is an individual who can recognize a crisis and the warning signs of someone possibly contemplating suicide. Anyone can become a gatekeeper: parents. friends, neighbors, teachers, athletic coaches, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, etc. Gatekeepers come from all walks of life and do not require any prior training or education.
You can access the registration online. Please contact us if you experience challenges with registration.
We look forward to meeting you at an upcoming training session!
QPR Training Sessions
Monday, October 28, 2024 11:00 AM -1:00 PM

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means Training (CALM)
2024-11-08 12:00 - 13:00
Virtual :: 1-hour
This activity is approved for the following credit: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, ANCC, ASWB, and AAPA Category 1 CME.
Audience: Mental health professionals, health care providers, social service professionals, and general public community members
Reducing access to lethal means, such as firearms and medication, can determine whether a person at risk for suicide lives or dies. The CALM course focuses on how to reduce access to the methods people use to kill themselves. It is primarily designed for mental health professionals, but others who work with people at risk for suicide—such as health care providers and social service professionals—would also benefit. The curriculum covers who needs lethal means counseling and how to collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to create safer environments by reducing access to lethal means.
Learning Objectives:

Identify who needs lethal means counseling.
Collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to reduce access to lethal methods.

Register here
For questions related to the training or registration, contact us at 412-383-3926 or chirdon@pitt.edu
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention.

Suicide Prevention and SUDs
2024-11-19 13:00 - 14:00
Substance misuse is the second most frequent risk factor for suicide.
The SP/SUD course is about how to recognize the warning signs of SUD and suicide, the intersection of SUD and suicide, and how stigma can affect help seekers and help givers. It is a one-hour virtual training designed for mental health professionals, health care providers, and social service professionals.
The SP/SUD curriculum covers the facts, warning signs, protective factors, and stigma associated with SUD and suicide, as well as proactive care strategies to consider. Trainings are open to anyone and will be delivered virtually, via Zoom.
SP/SUD Trainings (virtual):
• Tuesday, November 19, 2024 1:00 -2:00 PM
Free CEUs will be provided in EMS/LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT from UPMC.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means Training (CALM)
2025-01-07 12:00 - 13:00
Virtual :: 1-hour :: Free CEUs for EMS, LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT (provided by UPMC)
Mental health professionals, health care providers, social service professionals, and general public community members
A virtual training on reducing access to lethal means for individuals at risk of suicide.
Reducing access to lethal means, such as firearms and medication, can determine whether a person at risk for suicide lives or dies. The CALM course focuses on how to reduce access to the methods people use to kill themselves. It is primarily designed for mental health professionals, but others who work with people at risk for suicide—such as health care providers and social service professionals—would also benefit. The curriculum covers who needs lethal means counseling and how to collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to create safer environments by reducing access to lethal means.
Learning Objectives:

Identify who needs lethal means counseling.
Collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to reduce access to lethal methods.

Register here
For questions related to the training or registration, contact us at 412-383-3926 or chirdon@pitt.edu
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention.

Suicide Prevention: Links to Substance Use Disorder Care (SUD)
2025-01-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-14 12:00 - 13:00
Virtual :: 1-hour :: Free CEUs for EMS, LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT (provided by UPMC)
Mental health professionals, health care providers, social service professionals, and general public community members
A virtual training on reducing access to lethal means for individuals at risk of suicide who have substance use concerns.
Reducing access to lethal means, such as firearms and medication, can determine whether a person at risk for suicide lives or dies. The SP/SUD course focuses on how to reduce access to the methods people use to kill themselves. It is primarily designed for mental health professionals, but others who work with people at risk for suicide—such as health care providers and social service professionals—would also benefit. The curriculum covers who needs lethal means counseling and how to collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to create safer environments by reducing access to lethal means.
Learning Objectives:

Identify who needs lethal means counseling.
Understand the intersection of substance use disorder and suicide risk.
Collaborate with individuals at risk and their families to reduce access to lethal methods.

Register here
For questions related to the training or registration, contact us at 412-383-3926 or chirdon@pitt.edu
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention.

Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response (ITIC)
2025-01-14 12:00 - 13:00
The Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response course will describe the role of trauma in both risk for suicide behaviors and in coping with suicide loss. It is a one-hour virtual training primarily designed for those who work with people at risk for suicide, such as health care providers and social service professionals.
The curriculum covers the role of trauma in suicide risk, the SAMHSA principles of trauma informed care, as well as specific trauma informed strategies to utilize with survivors of suicide.
Trainings are open to anyone and will be delivered virtually, via Zoom.
ITIC Training (virtual):
• Tuesday, January 14, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 PM
Free CEUs will be provided in EMS/LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT from UPMC.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
2025-01-21 10:00 - 12:00
Virtual :: 2-hour :: Free CEUs for EMS, LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT (provided by UPMC)
Mental health professionals, health care providers, social service professionals, and general public community members
A virtual training on recognizing the warning signs of a suicide crisis and responding effectively.
QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a two-hour educational program designed to train people as “gatekeepers” to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and respond appropriately. A gatekeeper is someone who is in a position to recognize a crisis and identify when someone may be at risk of suicide. Gatekeepers can be parents, friends, teachers, coaches, ministers, doctors, nurses, supervisors, police officers, and more. The training provides practical steps to question someone about their intent, persuade them to seek help, and refer them to appropriate resources.
Note: Many QPR training sessions are followed by an optional, 1-hour Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) training directly after the QPR session. You are encouraged to attend both trainings, but can opt for one or the other independently. Check the registration link below for availability.
Learning Objectives:

Recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis.
Effectively question someone about their desire or intent to die by suicide.
Persuade individuals to seek help and refer them to appropriate resources.

Register here
For questions related to the training or registration, contact us at 412-383-3926 or chirdon@pitt.edu
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention.

Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response (ITIC)
2025-02-14 13:00 - 14:00
Virtual :: 1-hour :: Free CEUs for EMS, LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT (provided by UPMC)
Health care providers, social service professionals, and general public community members
A virtual training on understanding the role of trauma in suicide risk and supporting survivors of suicide loss.
The Integrating Trauma Informed Care into Suicide Response course describes the role of trauma in both risk for suicidal behaviors and in coping with suicide loss. The curriculum covers the SAMHSA principles of trauma-informed care and provides specific trauma-informed strategies to use with individuals at risk for suicide and survivors of suicide loss. This training is primarily designed for those who work with people at risk for suicide, such as health care providers and social service professionals.
Learning Objectives:

Understand the role of trauma in suicide risk.
Learn the SAMHSA principles of trauma-informed care.
Apply trauma-informed strategies when supporting survivors of suicide loss.

Register here
For questions related to the training or registration, contact us at 412-383-3926 or chirdon@pitt.edu
Funded by the CDC’s Division of Injury Prevention.
