Free Suicide Prevention Training for Clinicians: AFSP's Evidence-Based Programs You Can Complete This Week
Free Suicide Prevention Training for Clinicians: AFSP's Evidence-Based Programs You Can Complete This Week
Overview
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) maintains a suite of training programs — several of which are free or low-cost — specifically designed for mental health professionals, healthcare providers, and educators. These are not generic awareness programs. They are evidence-informed clinical and gatekeeper training tools with documented impact on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
Key programs:
More Than Sad: Suicide Prevention Education for Mental Health Professionals Free. Designed specifically for clinicians, therapists, and mental health counselors. Covers warning signs of suicide, evidence-based intervention strategies, suicide risk assessment, documentation considerations, and post-attempt follow-up care. Separate educator and clinician editions. Available at: afsp.org/more-than-sad
QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training Free online. QPR has over 20 years of evidence as a gatekeeper training model — equipping anyone who interacts with at-risk individuals to recognize warning signs, ask directly about suicidal ideation, and connect to care. The 1-hour online version is free and produces a certificate. Often required for clinical staff at US healthcare institutions. CE credits available in some states. Available at: afsp.org/qpr
Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention Free. 1-hour community education program, increasingly adopted for interprofessional and team training. Covers suicide facts, warning signs, and how to have a conversation about suicidal ideation. Appropriate for non-specialist clinical staff (nurses, case managers, PCPs) and administrators. Available at: afsp.org/talk-saves-lives
Why Clinicians Should Complete Gatekeeper Training
A common assumption among mental health professionals: "I already know this — I work with suicidal patients." Research consistently disconfirms this assumption. Clinician comfort in directly asking patients about suicidal ideation is lower than practitioners report in self-assessment. Gatekeeper training is not a substitute for clinical training in suicide risk assessment — it is a complement that addresses the interpersonal skills gap: how to raise the topic, how to stay present without immediately redirecting to safety protocol, and how to leave a conversation without inadvertently communicating avoidance.
For supervisors and training directors: AFSP's institutional training programs (available through afsp.org) can be delivered to entire teams and are free for qualifying organizations.
Resource link: afsp.org/training-and-education — Start with "More Than Sad" (Clinician Edition) for a 45-minute evidence-based module; QPR for a CE-eligible certificate; "Talk Saves Lives" for team training.
Tags: suicidology, suicide-prevention, clinical-training, gatekeeper-training, qpr, afsp, free-ce, crisis-intervention