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Jul 18

Social Justice Speaker Series: Let’s talk firearms: Behavioral health professionals’ experiences with lethal means risk assessment

July 18, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Free – $15.00

The Social Justice Speaker Series Presents:

Let’s talk firearms: Behavioral health professionals’ experiences with lethal means risk assessment

Presenter: Sydney Simmons, Ph.D.

Date & Time:  Thursday July 18th, 2024 from 7:00PM – 8:00PM

Location: Via Zoom

Zoom Link:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpf-6pqTwoH9Nac6kl7S_WFzR1rF5ihoiN

(Participants will be prompted to enter name and email address)

Cost:

FREE to attend
FREE CE for CPA Members
$15.00 CE Processing Fee for Non-members

Continuing Education:  Eligible for 1 CE

Abstract:

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and firearms account for about half of deaths by suicide. Behavioral health professionals have a role to play in changing these statistics by conducting timely and effective lethal means risk assessments with their patients. Research suggests that there are practice gaps among providers, especially regarding initiation and important content in conversations about firearms (e.g., safe storage) when safety concerns are present. We conducted a survey of behavioral health professionals across the U.S. to assess their perspectives on current lethal means risk assessment practices, as well as to identify opportunities for mitigating any practice gaps. Respondents included more than 320 professionals who practice across 49 states with over 50% representing practitioners in independent or group practices. From these data, we cover the prevalence of firearm ownership among behavioral health professionals and patients, and providers’ self-reported frequency of inquiring about access to firearms within the context of provider-patient clinical interactions. Additionally, we explore whether practitioners’ own proximity to firearms – whether personally or within their family – affects their knowledge about firearms or firearm safety and their comfort or confidence effectively helping patients reduce access to firearms when there is suicide risk. We also present data on barriers to conducting lethal means risk assessments and related training needs for professionals. There will be opportunities for attendees to discuss findings and identify recommendations for both clinical practice and organizational policy.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify at least 2 personal lethal means risk assessment practices.

2. Describe at least 2 practice and policy gaps around lethal means risk assessment at the provider level, either in organizations or independent practices

3. Identify 3 opportunities for addressing practice and organizational policy gaps around lethal means risk assessment through professional development, such as trainings or information dissemination through state professional associations

Research Citations

Betz, M. E., Thomas, A. C., & Simonetti, J. A. (2022). Firearms, suicide, and approaches for prevention. JAMA, 328(12), 1179-1180.
Swanson, J. W. (2021). Preventing suicide through better firearm safety policy in the United States. Psychiatric Services, 72(2), 174-179.
Pallin, R., & Barnhorst, A. (2021). Clinical strategies for reducing firearm suicide. Injury Epidemiology, 8(1), 1-10.

Presenter Biography

Sydney Simmons is a NIDA-funded T32 postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Medicine in the Division of Prevention and Community Research. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Georgetown University, master’s in Human Development and Psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology at the University of Virginia. Her work primarily focuses on youth and families in crisis, and her research often centers implications for practice and policy. Sydney has been involved with CPA as the Legislative Advocacy Fellow, Co-Federal Advocacy Coordinator, and a member of the Social Justice Speaker Series team.

Post-Webinar Evaluation Form:

https://forms.gle/P179abTS1Bm2RBjR7

The Connecticut Psychological Association (CPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Connecticut Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.  1 CE credit is available per hour for attendees who are present for the entire program. We ask that all participants return the post-program evaluation form at the conclusion of the program.

CPA and our speakers have not received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program.

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