Building A Better Suicide Risk Assessment: The Nuts and Bolts of the Columbia Protocol, C-SSRS

June 21, 2023

2 - 3:30 p.m. EST

Audience: All nursing facility staff

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The Columbia Protocol, also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), supports suicide risk assessment through a series of simple, plain-language questions that anyone can ask. The answers help users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, assess the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauge the level of support that the person needs.

Users of the tool ask people:
1. Whether and when they have thought about suicide (ideation)
2. What actions they have taken — and when — to prepare for suicide
3. Whether and when they attempted suicide or began a suicide attempt that was either interrupted by another person or stopped of their own volition

the center of excellence for behavioral health in nursing facilities (COE-NF)

Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the COE-NF offers Certified Medicare and Medicaid Nursing Facility Staff a centralized resource hub with easy access to trainings, technical assistance and additional resources, at no cost.

What We Do

We help nursing facilities to improve the quality of life and care provided for residents who are experiencing a variety of behavioral health disorders, with a focus on Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD).

Who We Help

We provide direct technical assistance, evidence-based training, and resources that are appropriate for every member of your long-term care facility — from those providing day-to-day direct care, to clinical and administrative staff.