Providing Culturally Responsive Suicide Counseling Care for Clients of Color in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Session Overview:
A critical task in the preparation of culturally responsive clinical mental health counselors is exposure to and equipment of theories and interventions that can support clinical decision making (Chu et al., 2017), particularly in high-stress situations. Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death for youth (CDC, 2020), despite the development of theory and clinical methods designed to reduce risk, prevalence, and lethality (Sale et al., 2018). Particularly for adolescents and young adults of color, suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt are significant cause for family and clinician concern (Alvarez et al., 2022). In recent years, Black, Indigenous, and Asian youth have experienced an increase in the rate of suicide and related behaviors and thoughts (Lindsey et al., 2019; O’Keefe et al., 2018; Xiao & Lu, 2021). Unfortunately, mental health practitioners continue to be undertrained and under-supported to effectively work with clients presenting with suicide as their main presenting problem (Binkley & Elliott, 2021). In order to meet the needs of future clients who experience suicidal ideation, attempts, or crises, counselors-in-training need to be prepared with strategies to best serve BIPOC clients in late adolescence and young adulthood. Employing the Racial-Cultural Framework (Wong et al., 2014) of research and clinical application, participants can expect to learn about current shortcomings in scholarship addressing suicide among late adolescents and young adults of color, while identifying culturally responsive counseling practices.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify sociocultural factors that may contribute to a client’s level of risk for suicide
2. Apply culturally responsive suicide treatment strategies for late adolescent and young adult clients of color
3. Discuss culturally responsive suicide prevention strategies for late adolescent and young adult clients of color
