CAMS
Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) is an evidence-based assessment and treatment framework for individuals suffering from serious thoughts of suicide. The foundational training provides details and resources to allow you to use the skills immediately in your clinical work, even before taking more advanced training.
CAMS-Foundational is available at no cost (normally $99) for all clinicians from educational communities in Virginia and for graduate students in Virginia’s mental health/clinical programs.
If you are not part of Virginia’s education community (or if you are and want more depth), VDH provides the full CAMS Trained pathway at no cost (normally $400+). More info can be found here.
Format: Online Course.
Time Commitment: Approximately 3 Hours.
Benefits of the CAMS Framework:
- Quickly reduces suicidal ideation in 6-8 sessions.
- Reduces overall symptom distress, depression, and reliably reduces suicidal ideation.
- Increases hope and improves clinical retention to care.
- Is relatively easy to learn, adapt, implement, and become adherent.
- Is optimal for the largest population — people with serious thoughts and ideations of suicide.
- Decreases Emergency Department (ED) visits among certain subgroups.
- Appears to have a promising impact on self-harm behavior and suicide attempts.
Read more here. CAMS is used by treatment providers across the world and endorsed by the Joint Commission, the CDC, Zero Suicide, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (also here), and the Surgeon General.
This 3-hour video course by Dr. David A. Jobes, creator of CAMS, combines didactic presentations with an unscripted 12-session demonstration of the CAMS Framework®. It showcases the collaborative process of CAMS Assessment® and Treatment®, addressing challenges clinicians face with suicidal patients, including a set-back session, resolution, and an alternative set-back session with different techniques. Topics covered include:
- Creating a collaborative CAMS Treatment Plan
- Identifying both direct and indirect drivers of suicide
- Demonstrating techniques to reduce access to lethal means
- Developing a viable CAMS Stabilization Plan
Continuing education credits: 3 CE credit hours, accepted by NBCC, APA, and NASW, are available directly from CAMS for a nominal fee ($36 as of March 2025). We do not cover this cost.