Suicidal Prevention

Suicide and attempted suicide has lasting impacts on a wide range of individuals, family and whanau, especially when the person who was at risk was young. Many of those with suicidal ideation may provide indications to others of their intentions, risk, and need for support, or may be within a group known to be at high risk. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of suicide, assessment of level of risk, appropriate responses and interventions, and of available community resources, can assist to reduce this risk.

Abacus can provide either a one-day course that will focus upon this knowledge, and training in appropriate intervention skills, or provide a two-day in depth course that involves higher skills training with training involving realistic scenarios. Programmes will be adjusted and designed to complement the trainee organisation’s field of work, with resources, including referral options, provided in a pack.

Training content will include:

• current information, research, models and theories of suicide
• levels of risk for suicide of different cultures, ages, gender, and those with co-occurring health issues
• signs and symptoms of suicide
• assessment of risk
• relationship of depression, and alcohol and other drug use to suicide
• appropriate interventions
• referral agencies
• interactive exercises

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Depression

Depression is a very common mental health condition, and risk is increased substantially after subsequent episodes. Although there are a range of conditions with depression (e.g. dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder, or substance-induced mood disorder) the most common is major depressive disorder. Although risk may increase if close relatives have the condition, in many cases it will develop from behaviour or from environmental causes. Major depression can result in negative thoughts, suicidal ideation, weight change, concentration deficits and loss of energy. These can impact upon clients’ wellbeing, their ability to perform normal work and obligations, and their ability to change other harmful behaviours, such as addictions.

However, there are recognised brief interventions that can lift depressive symptoms and reduce dysphoria, risk of harm, and facilitate better outcomes for those affected by mild, moderate or severe depression.

Abacus offers a half-day or more intensive full day, evidence based training programme on depressions that will cover:

• Risk criteria
• Signs and symptoms
• Screening and assessment
• Brief interventions
• Building the client’s owwn resources to address depression
• Referral resources and handout resources
• Interactive exercises

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are common, and comprise a wide range of conditions where the stress and worry have increased to where they are interfering with the person’s wellbeing and life. They include generalised anxiety disorder, panic attacks, agoraphobia, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and often co-occur with other mental health conditions, such as depression or another anxiety issue (e.g. phobia and generalised anxiety). Anxiety may not be addressed by the person because they assume it’s normal for them, may think its depression, or may focus on the physical discomfort the anxiety causes. It may endure, and lead to other problems, such as addictions. The identification of anxiety disorders may improve the wellbeing of clients, reduce risk for self harm, reduce risk for development of other problems, and improve outcomes for treatment of other conditions.

Abacus offers a half-day or more intensive full day, evidence based training programme on anxiety conditions that will cover:

• Risk criteria
• Signs and symptoms
• Screening and assessment
• Brief interventions
• Building the client’s own resources to address anxiety
• Referral resources and handout resources
• Interactive exercises

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Co-occurring or co-existing conditions

In most cases, those affected by mental health conditions will identify with one condition as being the cause of their problems, while there is a high likelihood that they will be affected by two or more mental health conditions. These conditions will usually impact upon each other, and in treatment, the best practice will be to identify them and work with the client using in an integrated approach. In particular, addictions and other mental health conditions commonly coexist, with the result that either the addiction or the mental health condition impact upon each other to deepen the severity of either or both conditions. Coexisting mental health conditions may increase risk for addictions, act as a barrier to their treatment, and increase relapse rates if they not addressed in an integrated manner with the addiction treatment.

The need for identification of coexisting mental health and substance use disorders amongst those presenting in specialist mental health and addiction services is an important process to effectively address the impact of these conditions.

Abacus offers half day introductory or more intensive one-day programmes for:

1. Mental health workers effectively addressing coexisting mental health and substance use disorders
2. Alcohol and other drug workers effectively addressing coexisting substance use disorders and mental health conditions

The programmes will cover:

• Evidence for addressing coexisting conditions and effectiveness of integrated interventions
• Screening for mental health and/or substance use disorders
• Assessment
• Treatment planning
• Collaborative and single site approaches: when to refer
• Working with clients/patients with coexisting conditions
• Developing skills and coping behaviours
• Service needs and appropriate client/patient environment
• Exercises, role plays

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Auckland 8 Pompallier Terrace, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011 Phone 09 360 6957 Fax 09 360 6357 Email abacus@acts.co.nz