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The CAMS Approach to Suicidal Risk with David A. J ...
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This comprehensive presentation by Dr. David A. Jobes outlines the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), an evidence-based, suicide-specific therapeutic framework focused on directly addressing suicidal ideation and behaviors. CAMS emphasizes empathy, collaboration, honesty, and a suicide-focused approach to build strong therapeutic alliances that engage patients as co-authors in treatment. Using the Suicide Status Form (SSF), CAMS identifies individual “suicide drivers,” the internal and external triggers fueling the patient’s suicidal crises, enabling targeted intensive outpatient interventions that reduce suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and overall symptom distress while increasing hope and treatment retention.<br /><br />CAMS counters the traditional reductionist model treating suicidality solely as a symptom of mental illness by focusing directly on suicidal drivers such as pain, stress, self-hate, and hopelessness. The approach is outpatient-oriented, flexible, and non-denominational, integrating techniques like dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), problem-solving, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Research including 11 clinical trials, multiple meta-analyses, and seven randomized controlled trials consistently shows CAMS reduces suicidal thoughts and behaviors, decreases emergency department visits, improves clinical alliances, and is cost-effective compared to treatment as usual.<br /><br />Innovations include CAMS-BI, a brief intervention adapted for emergency and EmPATH units that incorporates lethal means safety planning and enhances discharge outcomes while reducing inpatient admissions. Ongoing large-scale trials (e.g., CAMPUS Study) and adaptations for adolescents, inpatient settings, and telehealth demonstrate CAMS's broad applicability. CAMS is often integrated with DBT and other evidence-based methods for comprehensive suicidality treatment.<br /><br />The presentation highlights the pressing public health challenge of serious suicidal thoughts affecting millions annually, urging systems-level adoption of CAMS for improved prevention and treatment. CAMS fosters clinician confidence and competence while offering a therapeutic, collaborative, and patient-centered care process proven to save lives.
Keywords
Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality
CAMS
suicide prevention
suicidal ideation
therapeutic alliance
Suicide Status Form
suicide drivers
dialectical behavior therapy
acceptance and commitment therapy
CAMS-BI
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