2024-2025 Suicide Care Trainings
Click here for UWGB BHTP website
In collaboration with the Behavioral Health Training Partnership we are pleased to offer suicide care trainings for mental health professionals and health care providers supporting individuals who may be at risk of suicide. These unique training opportunities are made possible through grant funding from the Department of Health Services to promote best practice and evidence-based techniques in recognizing, assessing and managing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin.
Training access instructions will be emailed to registered participants one week prior to the training. If you have not received your email, please email bhtp@uwgb.edu or Joanne tulachkj@uwgb.edu.
Upcoming Trainings:
Counseling on Access to Lethal Means Training for Suicide Prevention
In this training, you'll develop skills in Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), a training that looks at addressing the “how” of suicide prevention, rather than the “why”. See Details
March 6, 2025, 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $15
Continuing Education Hours: 3.0
Trainer(s): Melody Palmer-Arizola, LPC-S; Stacy Spencer, MSW, LCSW-S
Note: Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin
Register
This course is for anyone who comes into contact with people who are at risk for suicide. This includes mental health providers, but many people at risk for suicide do not go to a psychiatrist or counselor – or, if they do, they may be there for other reasons like to shore up a failing marriage, cope with a gambling problem, attend court-ordered anger management sessions, etc. A wide array of providers may come into contact with suicidal people: police officers, school personnel, youth detention workers, corrections personnel, defense and divorce attorneys, leaders of grief support groups, emergency department and other health professionals, and so on.
Learning Objectives:
- The participant will be able to identify at least three reasons why reducing access to lethal means is important for individuals at risk of suicide.
- The participant will be able to list at least three strategies for engaging individuals in a discussion about access to lethal means.
- The participant will be able to demonstrate creating at least three effective plans for reducing access to lethal means with suicidal individuals.
Click here for the full course description
Enhance your knowledge about crisis response planning for managing acute suicide risk and increase your ability to confidently and competently administer this intervention with at-risk individuals. See Details
April 10, 2025, 12:30 - 4:30pm CST
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $15
Continuing Education Hours: 4.0
Trainer(s): David Rozek, PhD, ABPP
Note: Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin
Register
The first half of the workshop provides didactic knowledge about suicide, the development of the crisis response plan intervention, and its empirical support, all of which are designed to increase knowledge. The second half of the workshop includes clinical demonstrations by the instructor and skills practice by attendees, which are designed for individuals to acquire skill competency.
Click here for the full course description
Introductory Workshop Part One
Delve into the theoretical foundation of ABFT, learn the five-treatment task structure of the model, how to organize therapy around interpersonal growth rather than behavioral management and more. See Details
May 6 & 7, 2025, 8:30am - 12:15pm CST each day
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $35
Continuing Education Hours: 6.5
Trainer(s): Suzanne Levy, Ph.D.
Note: Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin
Register
During the introductory workshop, lecture and therapy tapes are used to provide an overview of the model including theoretical foundation and clinical strategies of ABFT.
At the completion of the workshop participants should be able to:
- Explain the theoretical foundation of ABFT.
- Discuss the empirical support for ABFT.
- Describe the five treatment task structure of the model.
- Explain how to organize therapy around interpersonal growth rather than behavioral management.
- Identify the strategies used in the five treatment tasks.
- Describe what a relational rupture is.
Click here for the full course description
Introductory Workshop Part Two
Deepen your understanding of the ABFT approach through case discussion, tape review and role-play. See Details
June 4-5 & June 11-12, 2025, 8:30am - 12:15pm CST each day
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $70
Continuing Education Hours: 13.25
Trainer(s): Suzanne Levy, Ph.D.
Note: Attendance limited to 30 people.
Register
Case discussion, tape review and role-play deepen the participants understanding of the approach. Throughout Part Two, therapists are also taught how to use the ABFT adherence checklists.
Click here for the full course description
Approach to Assessment, Conceptualization, and Management of Suicide Risk
In Wisconsin, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-44, yet many mental health clinicians lack training in suicide risk assessment and management; this workshop will provide essential knowledge on managing suicide risk using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). See Details
August 4, 2025, 8:30am - 3:30pm CST
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $35
Continuing Education Hours: 6.0
Trainer(s): Lesley Chapin, Psy.D.
Note: Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin
Register
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based practice originally designed to treat individuals at high risk for suicide and is currently used in a variety of clinical populations and settings and remains the gold standard treatment for borderline personality disorder. This training will provide participants with knowledge on suicide risk factors and assessment as well as managing suicide risk within the context of DBT and/or DBT-informed conceptualization and intervention. The workshop will address the importance of behavioral assessment, case formulation, understanding and utilizing behavioral principles, importance of between session contact, and team support in the process of addressing life threatening behavior.
Click here for the full course description
for Outpatient Settings
Hone your skills with this AMSR training that is based on the latest research and designed to help participants provide safer suicide care. See Details
August 27-28, 2025, 8:30 - 11:45am CST each day
Virtual via Zoom
Fee: $35
Continuing Education Hours: 6.5
Trainer(s): Joanne Tulachka, MA, LPC, CSAC
Note: Interested participants must be practicing in Wisconsin
Register
After the training, participants will have:
- Increased knowledge in the following core competencies: maintaining an effective attitude and approach, collecting accurate assessment information, formulating risk, developing a treatment and services plan, and managing care.
- Increased willingness, confidence, and clarity in working with individuals at risk for suicide.
- Increased ability to identify how they can better care for individuals at risk for suicide.
Click here for the full course description

UWGB Behavioral Health Training Partnership