title: Evaluation of the Commitment to Living (CTL) curriculum: a 3-hour training for mental health professionals to address suicide risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Finding effective and efficient options for training mental health professionals to assess and manage suicide risk is a high priority.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test whether an innovative, brief workshop can improve provider knowledge, confidence, and written risk assessment in a multidisciplinary sample of ambulatory and acute services professionals and trainees.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a pre/post evaluation of a 3 h workshop designed to improve clinical competence in suicide risk assessment by using visual concept mapping, medical records documentation, and site-specific crisis response options. Participants (N = 338 diverse mental health professionals) completed pre- and postworkshop questionnaires measuring their knowledge and confidence. Before and after the workshop, participants completed documentation for a clinical vignette. Trained coders rated the quality of risk assessment formulation before and after training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' knowledge, confidence, and objectively-rated documentation skills improved significantly (p < .001), with large effect sizes. Participants' expectation of their ability to transfer workshop content to their clinical practice was high (mean = 4.10 on 1-5 scale).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Commitment to Living is a promising, innovative, and efficient curriculum for educating practicing clinicians to assess and respond to suicide risk. Well-designed, brief, suicide risk management programs can improve clinicians' knowledge, confidence, and skill.
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester Medical Center, <location>Rochester, NY, USA</location>
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Wendi F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Conner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention