Foster Care Training

This course will focus on suicide risk factors, protective factors, assessment of risk severity, and safety planning. Attendees will familiarize themselves with general suicide risk and protective factors, also exploring factors that are specific to youth. Attendees will use this information to create a meaningful, dynamic safety plan that includes warning signs, formal and informal supports/contacts, supportive environments, and coping strategies. The training will include a brief discussion of suicide assessment tools available to agencies serving youth. Attendees will review the limits of confidentiality, framing these limits at the beginning of the treatment relationship. The training group will review how to most effectively initiate emergency services. The training will include large group discussion, breakout groups, and the use of vignettes.