Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
CAMS Registration:
CAMS-Foundational training is being funded by a partnership between the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for all clinicians from campus counseling centers in Virginia, as well as community counselors who serve Virginia college students as part of their patient population. Additionally, we provide free training in CAMS for graduate students in mental health/clinical programs in Virginia.
PLEASE NOTE that you will have access to the online course for 60 days from your start date. Register only if you can complete the entire training in that time. Training can be divided across multiple days and viewed multiple times.
Depending on available funding, we occasionally also offer Advanced training in CAMS for those who have completed the foundational level through our office. If you have completed CAMS-Foundational training independent from our Center, but are interested in being notified when Advanced trainings are available, please contact Danette Gibbs to be added to our waiting list.
What is CAMS?
Twelve million adults and 3 million adolescents in the USA alone struggle with serious thoughts of suicide. CAMS (opens new window) is an evidence-based assessment and treatment framework for individuals suffering from serious thoughts of suicide. It is used by treatment providers across the world, and endorsed by the Joint Commission (PDF/.148 Megabytes), CDC (PDF/6.12 Megabytes), Zero Suicide (opens new window), National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (PDF/.524 Megabytes) and here (PDF/.396 Megabytes), and the Surgeon General (PDF/.716 Megabytes).
CAMS can be effectively implemented in approximately 6-12 sessions on an outpatient basis, avoiding the need for hospitalization or other intensive and costly forms of care that utilize a high level of resources. Additionally, the training can be adapted for use in the emergency room with patients presenting for suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors.
Although there are multiple levels of training, the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia is offering the foundational course to qualified clinicians and graduate students in Virginia. CAMS-Foundational is an asynchronous, engaging, online, 3-hour video course. The foundational training provides enough detail and resources so that a participant can begin using the skills immediately in their clinical work, even before taking more advanced levels of training. However, more advanced training is also available virtually at a relatively low cost for providers who are interested in enhancing their skills.
Support for CAMS:
The CAMS-Care website (opens new window) provides an extensive evidence base for the intervention approach.