Suicide-related experience, knowledge, and perceived comfort and crisis competency among vocational rehabilitation support staff

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, behaviors, and deaths by suicide, therefore, it is imperative that vocational rehabilitation (VR) support staff be knowledgeable and skilled at interacting with people in crisis. This survey explores the suicide-related knowledge, comfort, and competency in a multistate sample of 93 VR support staff. Almost 90% of the sample reported having worked with suicidal clients, with over a third reporting doing so more than once per year. However, less than a third of participants reported having received training on suicide. Participants were generally knowledgeable about suicide and willing to ask about suicide and work with suicidal clients but rated themselves low in both overall suicide assessment and crisis intervention competency and in specific skills. Implications for research and practice are discussed.