Page 24 - Intuition, Imagination and Innovation in Suicidology Conference. 13th Triple i | Koper · Slovenia | 31 May–1 June 2022
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h Triple i | Koper · Slovenia | 31 May–1 June 2022 An Overview of the Collaborative Assessment
and Management of Suicidality (CAMS):
Research and Practice
Invited lecture · David A. Jobes
Prof. David A. Jobes has in the field of suicide prevention since gradaute school
with broad interests in suicide prevention for 35+ years. His particular research
focus has been in clinical suicidology – the clinical assessment and treatment of
suicide risk. He is the developer of the Collaborative Assessment and Manage-
ment of Suicidality (CAMS) which is an evidence-based, suicide-focused, clinical
framework supported by multiple clinical trials in the US and abroad. He also has
an interest in clinical training and policy work related to mental health and sui-
cide prevention.
Abstract. The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
is a suicide-focused therapeutic framework that is supported by 30 years of
clinical trial research. CAMS is guided by a multi-purpose assessment, treat-
ment planning, tracking, to clinical outcome tool called the Suicide Status
Form (SSF). The first session SSF is completed collaboratively with a pati-
ent who is suicidal. Within ‘standard’ CAMS this is done by the clinician see-
king with permission a side-by-side seating arrangement next to the patient
so the clinical dyad can work through various assessment and treatment
planning aspect that define CAMS-guiided care. When using telehealth, the
CAMS clinician shares their screen and completes a fillable PDF version of the
SSF completing the tool as per the patient’s responses using a secure online
platform. A signature feature of CAMS is the goal of keeping a patient who
is suicidal out of the hospital (if this is possible). But to achieve this requires
the satisfactory completion of the CAMS Treatment Plan that includes the
CAMS Stabilization Plan for decreasing self-harm potential and the further
identification of two suicidal ‘drivers’ identified by the patient which are the
problems that compel them to consider suicide (e.g., trauma, relational con-
flict, or self-hate). There is extensive medical record keeping and patients
receive copies of their SSF for their own reference between sessions. CAMS
‘interim’ care occurs after the first session as the CAMS Stabilization Plan is
further crafted and suicidal drivers are treated by different clinical interven-
tions (CBT, insight work, couples therapy, etc) and an interim version of the
24 https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-184-1.12
and Management of Suicidality (CAMS):
Research and Practice
Invited lecture · David A. Jobes
Prof. David A. Jobes has in the field of suicide prevention since gradaute school
with broad interests in suicide prevention for 35+ years. His particular research
focus has been in clinical suicidology – the clinical assessment and treatment of
suicide risk. He is the developer of the Collaborative Assessment and Manage-
ment of Suicidality (CAMS) which is an evidence-based, suicide-focused, clinical
framework supported by multiple clinical trials in the US and abroad. He also has
an interest in clinical training and policy work related to mental health and sui-
cide prevention.
Abstract. The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
is a suicide-focused therapeutic framework that is supported by 30 years of
clinical trial research. CAMS is guided by a multi-purpose assessment, treat-
ment planning, tracking, to clinical outcome tool called the Suicide Status
Form (SSF). The first session SSF is completed collaboratively with a pati-
ent who is suicidal. Within ‘standard’ CAMS this is done by the clinician see-
king with permission a side-by-side seating arrangement next to the patient
so the clinical dyad can work through various assessment and treatment
planning aspect that define CAMS-guiided care. When using telehealth, the
CAMS clinician shares their screen and completes a fillable PDF version of the
SSF completing the tool as per the patient’s responses using a secure online
platform. A signature feature of CAMS is the goal of keeping a patient who
is suicidal out of the hospital (if this is possible). But to achieve this requires
the satisfactory completion of the CAMS Treatment Plan that includes the
CAMS Stabilization Plan for decreasing self-harm potential and the further
identification of two suicidal ‘drivers’ identified by the patient which are the
problems that compel them to consider suicide (e.g., trauma, relational con-
flict, or self-hate). There is extensive medical record keeping and patients
receive copies of their SSF for their own reference between sessions. CAMS
‘interim’ care occurs after the first session as the CAMS Stabilization Plan is
further crafted and suicidal drivers are treated by different clinical interven-
tions (CBT, insight work, couples therapy, etc) and an interim version of the
24 https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-184-1.12
