Adapting mental health provider suicide prevention competencies for sexual and gender minority individuals: recommendations for training and research

Suicide remains one of the most challenging client problems treated by mental health providers (MHPs). Treating client suicide can have negative health and professional impacts on MHPs. Moreover, MHPs frequently report low confidence and inadequate training in suicide prevention skills. The Core Competency Model (CCM) is one foundational approach to providing suicide prevention skills for MHPs. In the present article, we summarize the development and evidence for the CCM, with a focus on two types of suicide prevention skills for MHPs: clinician self-management (e.g., engaging in debriefing and self-care) and clinical care (e.g., developing a therapeutic and tailored risk formulation). With current CCM evidence as a foundation, we then summarize clinical and ethical reasons and considerations in tailoring CCM training to meet the unique cultural needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and diverse (LGBTQ+) individuals. Drawing on extant LGBTQ+ suicide and healthcare literatures, we outline what foundations and gaps inform a tailored CCM for LGBTQ+ individuals. The article concludes with recommendations on how to address three critically important areas for advancing MHP suicide prevention training in general and specific to serving LGBTQ+ clients. These focus areas include (1) building on existing suicide prevention training for MHPs, (2) accounting for the international cultural landscape when adapting the CCM and (3) enacting a rigorous research agenda to advance CCM training and LGBTQ+ suicide prevention.