Course Title: Assess and respond to individuals at risk of suicide

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2015

Course Code: HWSS5972C

Course Title: Assess and respond to individuals at risk of suicide

School: 365T Global, Urban & Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4328 - Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs

Course Contact : Mandy Morrison

Course Contact Phone: +(61 3) 9925 4065

Course Contact Email:mandy.morrison@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Chris Walters

9925 8268

chris.walters@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 110

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Not applicable

Course Description

This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to assess and respond appropriately to people at risk of suicide. As part of the course you will undertake the mental health first aid and suicide intervention and prevention training program.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCCS521B Assess and respond to individuals at risk of suicide

Element:

2. Work actively with the person to reduce the immediate risk of suicide and increase safety

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Build a collaborative empathic relationship with person at risk that acknowledges how thoughts of suicide and the pain behind them may affect their safety

2.2 Listen to what lies behind any thoughts of suicide while affirming and strengthening links to safety and living implicit in the helping relationship

2.3 Work with person at risk to develop and follow through on a safety plan that reduces immediate danger of self-harm, risk of suicidal behaviour and/or suicide and mobilises access to emergency medical help when needed

2.4 Manage intervention in ways that address and reduce any risk of harm to caregivers and others potentially at risk in the situation and remain mindful of circumstances where the police may need to be involved to address safety

2.5 Seek and act on advice from workplace supervisor to ensure action taken is lawful, complies with good suicide intervention practice and organisation policies consistent with that practice, ethical processes and duty of care obligations

2.6 Address work health and safety (WHS) obligations in relation to managing self and others

2.7 Refer to health professionals where appropriate
 

Element:

3. Facilitate and strengthen the individual's links to further care

Performance Criteria:

Having worked with the person to take any steps needed to address immediate safety:

3.1 Encourage and enable capacity of person at risk and/or in crisis to make informed choices about further help that deals with their suicidality and associated needs for ongoing care

3.2 Acknowledge how the current helping relationship has provided foundations for further care

3.3 Explore and seek to understand and address any barriers to seeking or accepting help

3.4 Develop, with the individual, a plan and agreed first steps, to access and utilise informal supports and professional help
 

Element:

4. Provide further intervention support to resource the individual beyond immediate crisis

Performance Criteria:

When or if it is assessed that there is no imminent risk that needs to be immediately addressed:

4.1 Maintain open rapport with individual to encourage discussion of on-going concerns related to their situation generally and any suicide risk - focusing on what most needs attention now

4.2 Affirm person’s decision to seek and accept help to keep safe and address their concerns

4.3 Review how and with whom they might seek help in future to keep safe and/or get support

4.4 Support individual to develop coping strategies (both internal and external) which prepare them to safely manage any recurrence of suicidal thoughts

4.5 Identify mental health concerns or personal circumstances (such as depression, trauma, substance misuse or significant losses) that need addressing and facilitate access to appropriate help

4.6 Ensure supports and coping strategies developed are documented and communicated as necessary to other members of work team

4.7 Comply with all laws, relevant ethical guidelines and policy requirements that affect duty of care
 


 

Element:

1. Identify and assess the person's current suicide risk

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Recognise and respond to signs, (such as statements, reactions, thoughts, feelings or behaviours) indicating that a person may be considering suicide

1.2 Attend to any hunches, while listening as a helper, perhaps from indirect communications, that suggest the client may be considering suicide

1.3 Ask directly about thoughts of suicide whenever there are grounds for concern

If suicide thoughts are present:

1.4 Seek sufficient understanding of why the person is considering suicide, and what links them to life, to inform and facilitate the intervention

1.5 Assess current suicide risk guided by risk assessment considerations outlined in the Range Statement and by whether there is an imminent threat to the person's safety or the safety of others

1.6 Follow steps outlined in elements 2, 3 and 4.

If the person indicates she/he is not thinking of suicide and no suicidal intent, plans, or behaviour are evident:

1.7 Work collaboratively with the person to provide support and facilitate access to further care as needed - guided by elements 3 and 4

1.8 Remain vigilant about any emerging indications of suicidality, prompting careful risk assessment and safe management as outlined in elements 1 and 2
 


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.
 


Details of Learning Activities

An important part of the learning in this course is to understand the complex and interconnected nature of addiction and drug use. Therefore learning activities have been designed to be holistic and take into account the many and varied aspects of alcohol and other drug use and the relationship it has with mental health.

The activities designed to facilitate your learning in this course will take place during  The Suicide Intervention and prevention training which takes place in Semester Two

Activities include but are not restricted to:

Lectures

small group exercises

role play


Teaching Schedule

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.

Session Content
Date
1-10 Suicide Prevention Training Semester Two


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this
course through our online systems and access to specialised facilities and relevant software.
The University Library provides extensive services, facilities and study space as well as comprehensive collections of books, periodicals and other course related materials, such as DVD’s, magazines, slides, films etc. Computer laboratories with access to a wide range of desktop publishing software are also available. The library also has an expanding virtual collection of electronic resources and networks, including product data, e-books, electronic journals and newspapers, web based tutorials, online reference and document delivery services etc., all of which are accessible on campus, and off campus 24 hours per day. More information on library resources and services can be found at: http://www.rmit.edu.au/library 
If you need additional support, visit RMIT’s Learning Lab, either in person or online: http://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/

GUSS Skills Central (http://Gussskillscentral.edu.au/) is a site developed specifically for students in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT. It provides links to a range of resources for supporting student work on assessments and negotiating university studies more generally.


Overview of Assessment

You will be required to demonstrate your ability to perform a suicide assessment and intervention in-class via a role play.


Assessment Tasks

Assessment tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks. Summative assessment tasks in this course are graded.

Feedback throughout the course may be written for written assessments, verbal for verbal assessments or a combination of both

To demonstrate competency in this course you need to complete each one of the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard.

  • You will be assessed at the conclusion of the suicide prevention program on your ability to conduct a suicide intervention. This intervention will be a role play and assessment is summative.

Grades which apply to courses delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment (not graded).


CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for Assessment


Assessment Matrix

An assessment matrix demonstrating alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant course is available from the course contact person (stated above).

Other Information

Attendance
The major learning experience involves a combination of in-class exercises complimented by practical placement. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.

Feedback
You will receive feedback verbally fro verbal presentations and written for written presentations by teachers on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your competency.
Student feedback at RMIT :
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=9pp3ic9obks7

Student Progress
Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential. Student progress policy :
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=vj2g89cve4uj1

Cover Sheet for Submissions
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications.

Applying for Special Consideration
If you are seeking an extension of more than seven calendar days (from the original due date) you must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form, preferably prior to, but no later than two working days after the official due date. Late applications will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. For information about Special Consideration and how to apply, see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration 

Penalties for Late Submission
If you have not been granted an extension or special consideration, late submission will be penalised as follows:

  1. Assessment tasks submitted after the due date of submission shall receive a penalty of five per cent of the grades available for that assessment per day for each day late.
  2. No assessment task shall be accepted more than three weeks after the due date without special consideration.

Assessment Appeals
If you believe your assessment result or final result is wrong please contact the course coordinator and provide the reason why you think your result is incorrect. Valid reasons for seeking a review of results include:

  • You believe an error has occurred in the calculation of the grade; or,
  • You believe the assessment did not comply with criteria published in the Course Guide; or,
  • You believe the assessment did not comply with University Policies on Assessment (i.e. an error in process has occurred).

Full details of the procedure (including appeals procedure) can be located at this RMIT site: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment

Academic Integrity
Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship through respecting the work of others whilst having the freedom to build new insights, new knowledge and ideas. RMIT University upholds the values of academic integrity as fundamental to the scholarship undertaken by all members of its community. Whenever you refer to another person’s research or ideas (either by directly quoting or paraphrasing them) you must acknowledge your source.
If you are even in doubt about how to properly cite a reference, consult your lecturer or the academic integrity website: http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity The RMIT library provides tools to assist with your referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/info-trek/referencing 

Plagiarism and Collusion
Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious academic misconduct, and are forms of cheating. You are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data, and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited. Plagiarism is not acceptable.
Examples of plagiarism include:

  • Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc. without proper citation;
  • Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation;
  • Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
  • Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
  • Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work;
  • Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work; and
  • Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.

Enabling Plagiarism: the act of assisting or allowing another person to plagiarise or to copy your own work is also an offence.

For further information, please see the RMIT Plagiarism Policy – http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=sg4yfqzod48g1 – and the RMIT Student Discipline Statute and Regulations - http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=11jgnnjgg70y 

Plagiarism Software
The originality verification software Turnitin may be used in this course. For details, see: http://www.turnitin.com

Course Overview: Access Course Overview