Response to Besse et al. 2023.

The authors of The Comprehensive Counseling Center (CCC) Model (2017) respond to The Holistic Prevention & Intervention Model: A public health approach to college mental health and suicide prevention, by Besse et al. (2023). We believe the article is based on misunderstanding of college counseling centers and the CCC Model. As such the authors simultaneously argue for duplication of models and the inappropriate diminishing of counseling centers.

Conceptualization and Pilot Testing of a Core Competency-Based Training Workshop in Suicide Risk Assessment and Management: Notes From the Field.

OBJECTIVES: As professional psychology training programs and continuing education have moved toward competency based approaches, it has become equally important to develop uniform, evidence-based approaches for suicide risk assessment and management. The present article presents a workshop curriculum based on established core competencies in suicide risk assessment and management. METHOD: Drawing on theories suicide risk formation, the workshop features an integration of didactic, process, and experiential components. We present pilot data from 2 small group workshops (n = 17): 1 from a clinical psychology doctoral program and 1 from a university counseling center. RESULTS: Workshop participation yielded increases in (a) the ability to recognize appropriate clinician responses to suicidal client statements, (b) self-perceptions of general capacity to interface with suicidal patients and mastery of the 10 core competencies, (c) factual knowledge concerning suicide risk assessment and management, and (d) the self-rated ability to assess and manage a suicidal patient. CONCLUSION: We discuss statistical and generalizability limitations as well as implications for future modification, implementation, and provision of this training method.