Five Reasons to Take SPRC’s Updated CALM Course

contributed by Elly Stout, MS, Director, Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) at Education Development Center

The Lifeline network has long worked with clients at risk of suicide to help them stay safe — which includes helping them find ways to stay safe after the call ends. A critical part of that conversation is how clients can temporarily limit access to lethal methods of suicide, such as firearms and medication. I’m delighted to announce that SPRC has just released an updated and redesigned version of our Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) free online course, which offers the latest best practices for talking about lethal means safety.

You may have taken the previous version of our CALM course or received other training in this critical area. Here are five reasons why you should check out the new version of CALM, to freshen up your existing skills and learn something new:

1. The topic is the same, but the language has changed. Since the original CALM course was launched almost 10 years ago, the suicide prevention field has learned a lot about how language can help or hurt a conversation about means safety. The new version gives you the words you need to create a collaborative conversation with individuals, especially gun owners, while successfully navigating any sensitivities.
2. We’ve learned a lot about the options. Lethal means counseling is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Helping clients explore their options for limiting access can help ensure the solution works best for them — whether it’s temporarily storing a gun outside of the home or asking a family member to hold onto medications.
3. Having these conversations takes practice. You’ve had these conversations before, but every client and situation is different. Our updated course incorporates a wider variety of case studies, representing different challenges, ages, and perspectives, so you can feel better equipped talking with clients in the moment. We’ve also built in shorter, more frequent knowledge checks to reinforce key takeaways.
4. Lethal means counseling is a key component of recommended standard care for people with suicide risk. It’s also a core part of safety planning, an evidence-based model to reduce suicide risk, and part of the Lifeline’s standards for working with suicidal clients. The more comfortable you are talking about means safety with a client, the more effective your conversation will be in helping them take actions that can reduce their immediate risk.
5. It’s quick and easy. The updated course takes under two hours to complete, and you can take it on your desktop, tablet, or phone. You can even close the course and return later to where you left off, so you don’t have to complete it one sitting.

In your work with Lifeline clients, you need the best available tools in your toolbox to help people stay safe. The new version of the CALM course gives you the latest best practices and the evidence behind them, while also equipping you with the language and skills you need to talk with clients about means safety. Whether you’ve done similar trainings before or it’s your first time, we hope you will visit the updated CALM course to firm up existing skills and learn new information that can help you in your critical work to save lives.

To enroll or learn more about SPRC’s updated CALM Course, visit: https://go.edc.org/CALMonline