A Live, Interactive Webconference
Cost: This training is free but open only to supervisors and behavioral health professionals working in agencies contracted with CFBT
Friday, December 5, 2025, FBMHS Training Groups via Live Interactive Zoom
8:25am-12:40pm
How often do adolescents present in therapy with suicide ideation? Or unexpectedly reveal these thoughts during a session? When do we tell caregivers? How do we tell caregivers? Do we send adolescents to the hospital or create a safety network to keep them at home? What level of risk are we comfortable managing in our practice? Learning some practical, state of the art, empirically supported clinical strategies to manage a youth suicide crisis can improve clinical decision making and ethical practice.
This workshop provides an introduction to state of the art, empirically supported family based suicide risk management practices to help therapists and clinical staff manage suicide concerns when they arise. First, we discuss trauma informed care, adolescent and family development and the national concern about adolescent suicide risk. Then we teach a family-centered care approach to risk assessment and safety planning. Lecture, discussion, and experiential exercises are used throughout the workshop.
Objectives
At the completion of the workshop participants should be able to:
- List the important aspects of a risk assessment.
- Discuss how to include caregivers in assessment and when to meet with youth alone.
- Describe the decision making process of what level of care is needed to match the level of risk.
- Explain importance of a family generated safety plan.
This is an intermediate level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within Pennsylvania’s Family Based program. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.
Agenda
8:25am-9:30am: Introduction
9:30am-10:30am: Understanding Suicide Risk
10:30am-10:45am: Break
10:45am-11:30am: Understanding suicide risk continued
11:30am-12:40pm: Safety Planning from a Family Perspective
About the Trainer
Guy Diamond, PhD is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and formerly served as Associate Professor at Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, where he retired in 2023. During his tenure at Drexel, he was the founding Director of the Center for Family Intervention Science (CFIS), leading pioneering research in family-based mental health treatments and suicide prevention. Dr. Diamond has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and has been awarded or contributed to over $30 million in research funding. His work has significantly advanced the development and dissemination of evidence-based interventions aimed at improving family dynamics and reducing suicide risk across diverse communities. On the prevention front, Dr. Diamond developed a comprehensive program for suicide prevention training, screening, and triage designed for implementation in non-behavioral health settings such as primary care and educational institutions. In the realm of treatment, he is best known for his leadership in the development and empirical validation of Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), a transdiagnostic model focused on repairing ruptures in family attachment to support youth experiencing depression and suicidal ideation. ABFT has been successfully adapted for children, adolescents, LGBTQ+ populations, and young adults, and is now practiced in clinical settings worldwide. Currently, Dr. Diamond serves as President of the ABFT International Training Institute, which promotes global dissemination and training in the ABFT model. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he was honored as the 2025 Family Psychologist of the Year by the American Psychological Association’s Division 43.
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