The Role of Minimum Competencies for Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Programs: Challenges for Researchers and Program Developers

In this course, Jacinta Hawgood, Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, offers backgrounding information about suicide prevention from the WHO Live Life Implementation Guide for Suicide Prevention and the multi-segment framework for prevention used in Australia. She details the aims of gatekeeper training, and the assumptions made about the effects of training on intervention behaviour. Hawgood shows why, in terms of content, delivery, and existing standards, current gatekeeper guidelines are insufficient and why there is a need for common competencies. She then proposes minimum competencies in each of four arms of a complete gatekeeper training program.