Implementing the ZSF in a CAMHS Service: A Clinician and Service-Wide Journey
In this course, Sarah McDonald and Sharon Phillips explain the implementation of the Zero Suicide Framework (ZSF) within a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in South Australia. Drawing on their lived and clinical experience, they explore how ZSF can be meaningfully adapted for children, youth, and culturally diverse communities, highlighting practical innovations, co-designed tools, and systemic approaches to improving clinical consistency, safety, and cultural responsiveness in suicide prevention.
About this course
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In this course, clinical leads Sarah McDonald, RN, and Sharon Phillips, RN, introduce the development and integration of the Zero Suicide Framework (ZSF) into a public CAMHS system. They outline the clinical, cultural, and organisational considerations involved in adapting ZSF for children, youth, and families. Through data-informed implementation, co-designed tools, and intensive statewide training, they demonstrate how CAMHS teams can enhance clinical fidelity, improve safety planning, and reduce treatment variability. The course provides real-world insight into service-wide transformation, early intervention, and culturally safe suicide prevention practices.
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