How to increase the role of social workers in suicide preventive interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-195
Author(s):  
Joshua Levine ◽  
Leo Sher
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Preventive Interventions ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors ◽  
Suicidal Patients

AbstractObjective:Suicide is a serious public health issue that affects individuals, families and societies all over the world. International studies provide consistent evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in a region is associated with lesser suicide rates. However, many psychiatric patients including suicidal patients do not have access to psychiatrists. This indicates that mental health and non-mental health social workers need to be involved in suicide prevention efforts. This paper is the first comprehensive work that discusses how to increase the role of social workers in the area of suicide prevention.Methods:A review of the relevant literature.Results:Increasing the role of social workers in suicide prevention efforts may reduce suicide risk in groups and people at elevated risk for suicide, as well as the general population.Conclusion:Recommendations are provided for how the social work profession can improve upon suicide prevention while incorporating universal, selective and indicated suicide preventive interventions. Social work research efforts should focus on how to increase the role of social workers in suicide prevention and the management of suicidal patients. Social work education programmes should modify their curricula and increase their attention on suicide prevention. Mental health social workers need to educate the patient and their family on suicide risk factors. Furthermore, mental health and non-mental health social workers need to educate the general public on suicide risk factors.

scholarly journals Adolescent and Youth Suicide: Risk Factors and Approaches to Prevention

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-136
Author(s):  
Svetlana Markova ◽  
Catherine Nikitskaya
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors

The aim of this article is to explore current approach to suicide prevention at school. The article provides information about statistics and the importance of the problem. It addresses risk and protective factors of suicide and its causes. In addition, it provides a detailed examination of the role of school in suicide prevention. The article contains information regarding specific interventions for staff members, administration and school psychologists. It discusses existing tools and programs the school has access to in order to prevent suicidal behaviors and ideations among students.

An Evaluation of Suicide Gatekeeper Training for School Counselors and Teachers

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0801100
Author(s):  
Carli Reis ◽  
Dewey Cornell
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Training Program ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Gatekeeper Training ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors

The study in this article compared counselors and teachers on measures of suicide knowledge and prevention practices after participation in a statewide training program in student suicide prevention using the “Question, Persuade, and Refer” program. Follow-up surveys conducted an average of 4.7 months after training indicated that trainees (73 counselors and 165 teachers) demonstrated greater knowledge of suicide risk factors and reported making more no-harm contracts than did controls (74 counselors and 98 teachers). In comparison to teachers, counselors demonstrated greater knowledge of risk factors and reported questioning more potentially suicidal students and making more contracts and outside referrals. These findings support the value of gatekeeper training for both counselors and teachers and substantiate the important role of counselors in suicide prevention.

Suicide

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey Freedenthal
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Assessment ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Intervention ◽  
The World ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors

Every year, more people in the world die from suicide than from homicide and wars combined. Efforts to reduce suicide have made several advances. Research has identified numerous suicide risk factors, and, though small in number, effective prevention and intervention strategies have been identified. Social workers are likely to encounter suicidal clients in their work, requiring suicide assessment and intervention skills.

Social Workers in Child Mental Health: Securing a Future

2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 102-107
Author(s):  
Philip Messent
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Mental Health ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
The Uk

A study was conducted to investigate reductions in the numbers of social work posts located within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the UK. Results suggested that reductions in posts noted in earlier studies are continuing. Interviewees' ideas about factors contributing to the survival of such posts are summarised. The significance of the loss of posts is discussed, with an account of changing ideas about the role of social workers within CAMHS teams, and of an audit undertaken of one service lacking such a post. Conclusions are drawn concerning ways of ensuring the preservation of such posts.

More than Pills and Beds

2014 ◽  
pp. 113-129
Author(s):  
Sebastian Rosenberg ◽  
Fiona McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Social Work Theory ◽  
Integral Element ◽  
The Way

Contemporary models of mental healthcare emphasise the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches in supporting recovery for consumers. There is growing evidence of the key role to be played by social workers derived from both the principles of recovery and those underpinning social work theory and practice, particularly a focus on person-in-environment. However, pressures on the way mental healthcare is provided in Australia are threatening this confluence. These pressures are much more concerned with the needs of funders than professionals, consumers, and their families. The aim of this chapter is to explore the evidence to support social work as an integral element in mental health recovery and to better understand these emerging challenges. The role of social work in good mental healthcare is too important to become marginalized; yet this prospect is real. Better understanding of the contemporary landscape of social work can help ensure this does not occur.

Prevalence of Suicide Risk Factors and Suicide-Related Outcomes in the National Mental Health Study, Colombia

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Posada-Villa ◽  
Juan Camilo Camacho ◽  
José Ignacio Valenzuela ◽  
Arturo Arguello ◽  
Juan Gabriel Cendales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors ◽  
National Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Study

scholarly journals Environmental Risk Factors on Suicide of Children and Young People

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann John ◽  
Marcos Del Pozo Banos ◽  
Keith Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Conditional Logistic Regression ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors ◽  
Health Organization

IntroductionThe World Health Organization recognizes suicide as a public health priority. Recent studies have focused on health care contacts for those who complete suicide to highlight opportunities for intervention. In Wales, electronic health records (EHR) are routinely collected, providing an invaluable opportunity for researching suicide risk factors. Objectives and ApproachWe aim at linking primary and secondary EHRs to identify suicide risk factors for those between 10 and 24 years of age. We linked 7 different demographic and health datasets from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank UK, and identified a total of 471 cases between 2001 and 2015, 10 matched controls of same gender and age (±1 year), as well as cases’ and controls’ mothers. We measured a number of factors from primary and secondary care including self-harm, mental health issues and drugs and alcohol misuse. We used conditional logistic regression to conduct our analyses. ResultsPreliminary results suggest that environmental factors extracted from cohabitants and mothers have a statistically significant effect even after adjusting for deprivation. Self-harm, possible maltreatment and alcohol and drugs misuse seem to be strongest factors of those studied. Factors related to mental health have smaller and more complex effects when adjusting for deprivation. Conclusion/ImplicationsOur preliminary analysis indicate that EHR can be linked to study the effect of the environment on suicide risk. Once completed, we hope this study will help to identify other suicide risk factors, improve our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying suicide and help to identify opportunities for intervention and improve care.

Serving the affected: Role of social workers during the pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 002087282110061
Author(s):  
Meeta Baid ◽  
Sukhjeet Kaur Matharu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Gender Violence ◽  
New Era ◽  
Global Pandemic

The new era marked its beginning with the first global pandemic universally known as COVID-19. Marked by stringent lockdowns, social distancing, and quarantine measures, social work initiatives aimed at resolving mental health problems and increased gender violence, facilitating the patients requiring health care, and providing social work services.

More than Pills and Beds

2016 ◽  
pp. 1111-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Rosenberg ◽  
Fiona McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Social Work Theory ◽  
Integral Element ◽  
The Way

Contemporary models of mental healthcare emphasise the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches in supporting recovery for consumers. There is growing evidence of the key role to be played by social workers derived from both the principles of recovery and those underpinning social work theory and practice, particularly a focus on person-in-environment. However, pressures on the way mental healthcare is provided in Australia are threatening this confluence. These pressures are much more concerned with the needs of funders than professionals, consumers, and their families. The aim of this chapter is to explore the evidence to support social work as an integral element in mental health recovery and to better understand these emerging challenges. The role of social work in good mental healthcare is too important to become marginalized; yet this prospect is real. Better understanding of the contemporary landscape of social work can help ensure this does not occur.

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