Assessment and Beyond: Best Practices for Suicide Risk Stratification, Intervention, Safety Planning, and Postvention

This in-depth training equips crisis responders with the knowledge and skills to assess, respond to, and support individuals experiencing suicidal ideation across all levels of risk. It will cover how to conduct comprehensive suicide risk assessments and stratify risk level using existing frameworks and clinical judgment. It will emphasize practical engagement strategies—from reflective listening and rapport-building to active safety measures.

It also explores advanced concepts in safety planning that go “beyond the gold standard,” offering tools to create more meaningful and personalized safety plans. Participants will also gain insight into self-disclosure issues that may arise, and receive guidance on postvention, including debriefing techniques that support staff wellness and learning following suicide-related incidents.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will learn what to listen for and ask to assess and identify the level of severity of suicidal intent.
2. Participants will learn engagement skills for all levels of suicide risk (imminent, high, moderate, low).
3. Participants will be able to apply the best practices for safety planning of individuals at low or moderate risk of suicide.
4. Participants will understand the value of and need for debriefing following a suicide risk assessment.

Speaker Bio
Dr. Daniel Reidenberg, PsyD
Dan is the Managing Director of the National Council for Suicide Prevention. He serves as Co-Chair of the IASP Media and Suicide Task Force, Chair of the American Psychotherapy Association Advisory Board and Chair of the Certified Relationship Specialists Board. He serves on the editorial advisory boards for The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Crisis, American College of Forensic Examiners, Annals of Psychotherapy and Integrative Medicine and Esperanza magazine and as a proposal reviewer for SAMHSA and the Royal Society of New Zealand.