Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
General Information
Title: Free Training and CEs - Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
Presenter: Adam Lesser, LCSW
Dates: Wednesday, September 2, 2026. 12 PM-1:30 PM ET.
Fee: Free for all participants. Includes materials, 1.5 CE credits, and 2 months access to recordings.
Venue: Live Webinar (Zoom)
CE Credits: 1.5
Includes full technical support, handouts, CE credits, and 2 months access to recordings.
Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
Description
The Columbia Protocol (C-SSRS) (www.cssrs.columbia.edu) is now widely recognized as a gold-standard, innovative suicide risk screening tool. It has been implemented in many systems across the US and abroad with tremendous benefit– identification of people who would have otherwise been missed while redirecting scarce resources. Evaluation in hospital-based psychiatric emergency departments when it is not necessary is costly, sometimes traumatic, and may be less effective in routing people into ongoing care. This workshop will review the development of the C-SSRS and its administration, covering its items predictive of increased risk. Participants will learn about how to administer the full and screening versions of the tool, how to customize the tool and how to interpret results. Population-specific editions will also be reviewed (very young children, military, etc.). Training will include didactic, video demonstration and role play training techniques.
Instructor
Adam Lesser is a licensed clinical social worker, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Lecturer at the Columbia University School of Social Work and the Deputy Director of the Columbia Lighthouse Project at the New York State Psychiatric Institute where he assists with all suicide prevention activities related to public health including the international dissemination and implementation of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). He has published, presented internationally and consulted to state and local governments on best practices for suicide risk identification and prevention. His work has been featured in Social Work Today Magazine and on Atlanta National Public Radio, CNN-espanol, Univision and other local print and television media outlets.
Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
Objectives
1. Explain how screening with the C-SSRS can be used to identify at-risk individuals and identify steps taken to implement a comprehensive screening program that includes targeted and public health approaches to prevention
2. Describe how utilizing a systemic best practice measurement, the C-SSRS, to identify suicidal ideation and behavior results in improved identification and precision, which ultimately saves lives
3. Identify the types of suicidal ideation and four behaviors associated with increased suicide risk, and describe how to administer the full and screener versions of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS).
CE Information
Continuing Education Credits are granted through Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC for the following professions: Psychologists, Social workers, Mental Health Counselors, LMFTs, and LCATs. It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state.
Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.
APA
Nachas Consulting is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
ASWB
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC, 2035, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/02/2025 – 08/02/2028 Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credits.
NBCC
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting PLLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7503. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
New York State Social Workers
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0785.
New York State Mental Health Counselors
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Mental Health Counselor #MHC-0195
New York State Psychology
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0072.
New York State Marriage Therapy
Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0121.
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Neuhoff Psychological Consulting, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0112.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Injury Prevention & Control: Data & Statistics (WISQARS). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2017.
- O’hara, Andrew F., Violanti, John M., Levenson, Richard L., Clark, Ronald G. (2013) National Police Suicide Estimates: Web Surveillance Study III.
- Saad, A. M., Gad, M. M., Al‐Husseini, M. J., AlKhayat, M. A., Rachid, A., Alfaar, A. S., & Hamoda, H. M. (2019). Suicidal death within a year of a cancer diagnosis: a population‐based study. Cancer, 125(6), 972-979.
- Miller, Matthew, Deborah Azrael, and David Hemenway. “Firearms and violent death in the United States.” Reducing gun violence in America: Informing policy with evidence and analysis (2013).
- Ferro, M. A., Rhodes, A. E., Kimber, M., Duncan, L., Boyle, M. H., Georgiades, K., … & MacMillan, H. L. (2017). Suicidal behaviour among adolescents and young adults with self-reported chronic illness. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 62(12), 845-853.
- Ahmedani, B. K., Peterson, E. L., Hu, Y., Rossom, R. C., Lynch, F., Lu, C. Y., … & Simon, G. E. (2017). Major physical health conditions and risk of suicide. American journal of preventive medicine, 53(3), 308-315.
- Cerel, J., Brown, M. M., Maple, M., Singleton, M., van de Venne, J., Moore, M., & Flaherty, C. (2018). How many people are exposed to suicide? Not six. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior.
- Oquendo MA, Volkow ND. Suicide: A Silent Contributor to Opioid-Overdose Deaths. N Engl J Med. 2018 Apr 26;378(17):1567-1569. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp1801417. PMID: 29694805.
- Hoffmann, J. A., Farrell, C. A., Monuteaux, M. C., Fleegler, E. W., & Lee, L. K. (2020). Association of pediatric suicide with county-level poverty in the United States, 2007-2016. JAMA pediatrics, 174(3), 287-294.
- Klinenberg, E. (2018). Is loneliness a health epidemic?. International New York Times.
- Niederkrotenthaler, T., Stack, S., Till, B., Sinyor, M., Pirkis, J., Garcia, D., … & Tran, U. S. (2019). Association of increased youth suicides in the United States with the release of 13 Reasons Why. JAMA psychiatry, 76(9), 933-940.
- Greenberg, P. E., Fournier, A. A., Sisitsky, T., Pike, C. T., & Kessler, R. C. (2015). The economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in the United States (2005 and 2010). The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 76(2), 5356.
- Ahmedani, B. K., Simon, G. E., Stewart, C., Beck, A., Waitzfelder, B. E., Rossom, R., … & Solberg, L. I. (2014). Health care contacts in the year before suicide death. Journal of general internal medicine, 29(6), 870-877.
- Rizk, M. M., Herzog, S., Dugad, S., & Stanley, B. (2021). Suicide risk and addiction: the impact of alcohol and opioid use disorders. Current addiction reports, 8(2), 194-207.
- Meza, J. I., Patel, K., & Bath, E. (2022). Black Youth Suicide Crisis: Prevalence Rates, Review of Risk and Protective Factors, and Current Evidence-Based Practices. Focus, 20(2), 197-203.
- Outcome Stories | Zero Suicide. (2019, February 15). Outcome Stories. https://zerosuicide.edc.org/evidence/outcome-stories
Satisfactory Completion:
Participants must have signed in and out, attended the entire workshop to receive a certificate. Failure to sign/log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available electronically after satisfactory course completion. A link will be provided for those who have completed the training.
Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
Policies
Application Deadline: September 2, 2026 or until all training spaces are filled, whichever comes first.
Notification of Acceptance
Applicants will be notified, via email, of acceptance when registration is complete, and payment is received.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Tuition/registration payments are refundable until September 2, 2026 Cancellations after this date are non-refundable. In this situation, we will attempt to find someone to take your slot (based on our waiting list).
Accessibility
There will be handicap accessibility.
Course level
Level of clinician
Our Grievance Policy for trainings is available here.
Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
Schedule
| September 2, 2026. 12 PM-1:30 PM ET. | Introduction to Suicide Prevention – 15min Myths and Facts – 15min Introduction to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale – 15min Administration and Scoring of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale – 15min The Impact of Screening – 15min Q&A – 15min |
Better Suicide Risk Detection with the Columbia Protocol
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