MIRECC / CoE

Digital Delivery of Treatment Protocols as Upstream and Downstream Suicide Prevention Strategies: State of the Science

February 9,  2021  12:00PM ET

Presenters: Lisa A. Brenner, PhD, ABPP & Carolyn Greene, PhD

Even prior to COVID-19, VHA committed significant resources towards web-based versions of evidence-based psychotherapies as a means of increasing access to care. These include interventions aimed at insomnia (Path to Better Sleep, CBT-I); and, managing stress (Moving Forward, Problem Solving Therapy). Both are also useful upstream suicide prevention interventions. Efforts are underway to develop a new web-based program to serve as a downstream suicide prevention intervention based on VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guidelines. This presentation discusses the current state of the science, and presents VHA digital resources, with the goal of increasing their use.

Dr. Brenner is a Board-Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist who serves as the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC). She is also a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Psychiatry, and Neurology at the University of Colorado. Her primary area of research interest is traumatic brain injury, co-morbid psychiatric disorders, and negative psychiatric outcomes including suicide. Dr. Brenner has numerous peer-reviewed publications and participates on national advisory boards.

Dr. Greene is a nationally recognized expert in using technology to increase access to high-quality healthcare. She is the National Manager of VA's award-winning program of web-based mental health resources found at www.VeteranTraining.va.gov. In addition to her role at VA, Dr. Greene is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas where she is the Director of Team Science at their Translational Research Institute and Associate Director of the KL2 Mentored Research Scholars Program.

Home Visit as a Suicide Prevention Strategy

January 12,  2021  12:00PM ET

Presenter: Bridget Matarazzo, PsyD.

Home visits are recommended in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide. This training will inform attendees about the research done on home visits that led to this recommendation. This training will also describe a clinical program, called the HOME Program, that involves a home visit and has been implemented in VA.

Dr. Matarazzo is the Director of Clinical Services at VA's Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Suicide Prevention. She is Co-Director of VA's Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program and leads a team that provides implementation support for multiple national VA suicide prevention programs, such as REACH VET and the VA Suicide Risk Identification Strategy. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine.

Suicide Risk Stratification and Documentation

December 15,  2020  12:00PM ET

Presenter: Dr. Hal Wortzel

Risk management is a necessity of mental health practice, and this requires a thoughtful approach to suicide risk assessment and management. Therapeutic risk management (TRM) is a process based upon clinical risk management, one that is patient-centered, supportive of the treatment process, and maintains the therapeutic alliance. A crucial element of TRM is risk stratification and documentation. This program will address risk stratification that attends to risk in terms of both severity and temporality, and will offer related documentation strategies.

Dr. Hal Wortzel is a forensic neuropsychiatrist at the Rocky Mountain MIRECC, where he serves as Director of Neuropsychiatric Consultation Services and Co-Director for the National Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program. He is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at of the University of Colorado, and serves as the Michael K. Cooper Professor of Neurocognitive Disease, and as Faculty for the Program in Forensic Psychiatry.

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators of Clozapine Use: A National Survey of Veterans Affairs Prescribers

November 17,  2020  12:00PM ET

Drs. Breanna Moody & Courtney Eatmon

Drs. Moody and Eatmon provided an overview of clozapine therapy and its role in suicide prevention for veterans with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The presenters reviewed a recent study identifying the perceived barriers and facilitators to clozapine prescribing within the VA Health Care System and explored potential interventions for increasing clozapine utilization.

Ketamine and Esketamine Treatment: Implications for VA Suicide Prevention

October 7,  2020  12:00PM ET

Drs. Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, PhD & Perry Renshaw, PhD, MD, MBA

During this webinar, Drs. Yurgelun-Todd and Perry reviewed recent clinical trials reporting rapid reductions in suicidal ideation (SI) and depressive symptoms following administration of ketamine and esketamine. The presenters summarize the evidence supporting use of ketamine and esketamine in patients with suicidal ideation and major depressive disorder, as well as, highlight the implications of ketamine and esketamine research for VA suicide prevention.

It IS That Simple: Nondemanding Caring Contacts for Suicide Prevention

September 10,  2020  12:00PM ET

Dr. Kate Comtois & Amanda Kerbrat, LCSW

During this webinar, Drs. Yurgelun-Todd and Perry reviewed recent clinical trials reporting rapid reductions in suicidal ideation (SI) and depressive symptoms following administration of ketamine and esketamine. The presenters summarize the evidence supporting use of ketamine and esketamine in patients with suicidal ideation and major depressive disorder, as well as, highlight the implications of ketamine and esketamine research for VA suicide prevention.

The Status of VA Ketamine & Esketamine Services and Implications for Suicide Prevention

August 27,  2020  12:00PM ET

Dr. Ilse Wiechers

During this webinar, Dr. Wiechers provided a review of Recommendation #10 in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide. This recommendation suggests offering ketamine infusion as an adjunctive treatment for short-term reduction in suicidal ideation in patients with the presence of suicidal ideation and major depressive disorder. The session walked through the CPG recommendation in detail and review the evidence supporting use of ketamine in patients with treatment resistant depression and severe suicidal ideation as well as the limitations of the existing literature. Additional discussion described current policies and guidance within VHA that support providing this treatment.

Lethal Means Safety: Evidence-Base, Current Practices, and Next Steps

July 28,  2020  12:00PM ET

Dr. Joseph A Simonetti

During this webinar, Dr. Simonetti reviewed the current evidence supporting recommendations to promote lethal means safety for individuals at risk of suicide, the current state of clinical practice and research, and critical next steps in research, education and clinical practice for moving forward.

Due to technical difficulties, this webinar was not recorded. Please visit the Rocky Mountain MIRECC's Lethal Means Safety website for related training and more information on lethal means safety.

An Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy

June 30,  2020  12:00PM ET

Dr. Sara J. Landes

During this webinar (presented and recorded on June 30, 2020), Dr. Sara Landes provided an overview of DBT, focused on biosocial theory for those new to DBT and those who want to make better referrals to DBT.

Note: No CEUs are available for this webinar