Conduct research on effective suicide prevention models and strategies
1. Reflect on your practicum experience this week. What has gone well? What areas have been challenging for you and why?
This week, the practicum majored in the programs for suicide prevention. In mental health counseling, suicide prevention programs, strategies, and practices are vital. Often, patients with mental health disorders, such as depression, stress, and anxiety, have suicidal ideations. This week, the program for suicide prevention was meant to equip us with knowledge and skills to prevent suicidal ideation and suicidal acts among mental health patients. During the practicum, there were both ups and downs. On the positives, I learned that effective suicide prevention for mental health patients is comprehensive and requires combined efforts between the involved parties to help address the problem. Also, I learned the strategies, practices, and programs that counselor’s need to consider while setting suicide prevention plans and educating patients against suicidal thoughts and ideation. On the other hand, the challenges experienced this week were patient-centered. Some of the patients were truant, non-cooperative, and unwilling to follow the measures, strategies, and practices set to ensure effective mental health and suicide care treatment/management.
2. Conduct research on effective suicide prevention models and strategies. Review your site’s suicide protocol. Compare your site’s suicide protocol with the models and strategies you researched. Do you believe your site’s suicide protocol is effective? Why or why not? What step(s) of your site’s protocol would be the greatest challenge for you as a counseling intern and why?
According to (Bunney et al., 2002), effective suicide prevention is comprehensive. In mental health therapy, various programs, strategies, and practices are adopted to enhance suicide prevention and promote mental health wellness. Upon reviewing our site’s suicide protocol, the models and strategies recommended match those found online through research. On the site, the protocols for suicide prevention include strengthening economic support, promoting connectedness, creative protective environments, strengthening access and suicide care delivery, lessening harms to prevent future risks, identifying and supporting those at risk, and teaching problem solving and coping skills. In addition, research by (Bunney et al., 2002) lists various strategies and models of effective suicide prevention. These include increasing help-seeking, assisting people at risk, responding promptly to people in crisis, enhancing resilience and life skills, and promoting social support and connectedness. Based on this protocol, our site’s suicide prevention plan is effective. This is because the program for suicide prevention enlisted is aligned to what researchers and scholars believe. The only challenge with our site’s protocol for counseling interns is the complex nature of the design, which is difficult to master and navigate/ a custom-friendly theme is needed.
References
Bunney, W. E., Kleinman, A. M., Pellmar, T. C., & Goldsmith, S. K. (2002). Reducing suicide: A national imperative. National Academies Press.