Instructor Training: Suicide Prevention for College Student Gatekeepers

Description

This program will train individuals to provide the Suicide Prevention for College Student (SPCS) Gatekeepers training curriculum for college students. While the SPCS Gatekeeper curriculum is appropriate for a college student audience, the Instructor Training provides a deeper understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of and research evidence supporting the program.

Participants will first read the SPCS Gatekeepers Instructor Manual. They will learn about the development of this evidence-based program and the research supporting its use. As the program is based on the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner, 2005), participants will learn about this model and read relevant college student case examples. They will review the full training curriculum and script, in addition to relevant research findings focused on each of the training topics. Finally, participants will study a detailed description of all components relevant to training implementation (e.g., data collection, handouts, and safety protocol).

After reading the manual, participants will watch the Instructor Training video, which allows them to observe the SPCS curriculum in full, facilitated by two of the program’s authors, Drs. Sarah Ross and Rena Pazienza. Throughout the video, the facilitators provide helpful information and tips to support the provision of the program.

Once the training components are completed, participants will take the Instructor Post-Test and must receive a score of 75 or above to pass. Participants will have three chances to complete the test successfully. Additionally, participants must record a video of their own implementation of the program and submit their recording to the SPCS Gatekeepers team at Clover Educational Consulting Group for review. (Of note, college students should not be present for this recording. Participants may record their video alone or in a mock training session with a colleague). A team member will review the video and provide detailed feedback. Additional recordings of certain training components may be requested. After successful completion, the participant will be designated a Certified Facilitator for the SPCS Gatekeepers Program and will receive a program certificate and access to all training materials via email. Participants will also be asked to complete an optional program evaluation survey.

Once certification is finalized, participants will have the option of purchasing CE credits via the Clover Educational Consulting Group website.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Provide the full SPCS Gatekeepers training curriculum with fidelity to the Instructor Manual.
• Describe relevant research related to suicide risk in the college student population.
• Describe the three components of Thomas Joiner’s model of suicide risk.
• Utilize the decision tree to accurately determine next steps after a suicide risk assessment.
• Explain the safety protocol for students who may experience distress during the training.