Awareness for the need of suicide prevention strategies in our communities continues to increase.
A growing number of organizations and government agencies are offering grants to help groups fund suicide prevention training. You are encouraged to explore federal, state, and local funding opportunities.
A couple of the most popular federal funding grants, offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), include: the Garrett Lee Smith grant and the Zero Suicide grant.
The CAMS approach to assessing and treating suicide risk readily meets the criteria for most of these grants. To this end, the following CAMS-related information can be used to help complete your grant applications.
Backing Research for Use of the CAMS Framework® with Select Populations
Click on the segments below for select publications.
Whether across military branches, in both garrison and combat settings overseas, CAMS quickly and consistently reduces suicidal thoughts in military populations and decrease emergency department visits.
- Jobes, D. A., Comtois, K.A., Gutierrez, P. M., Brenner, L. A., Huh, D…..& Crow, B. (2017). A randomized controlled trial of the collaborative assessment and management of suicidality versus enhanced care as usual with suicidal soldiers. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 80, 339–356.
- Jobes, D. A., Wong, S. A., Conrad, A., Drozd, J. F., & Neal-Walden, T. (2005). The collaborative assessment and management of suicidality vs. treatment as usual: A retrospective study with suicidal outpatients. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 35, 483-497.
CAMS is widely used with teenagers experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. CAMS-4Teens® is now a major focus of on-going CAMS research, including several randomized controlled trial studies.
- Anderson, A. R., Keyes, G. M. & Jobes, D. A. (2016). Understanding and treating suicidal risk in young children. Practice Innovations, 1, 3-19.
- Jobes, D. A., Vergara, G., Lanzillo, E., & Ridge-Anderson, A. (in press). The potential use of CAMS for suicidal youth: Building on epidemiology and clinical interventions. Children’s Health Care.
Overwhelming evidence supports the effective use of the CAMS Framework with adults experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, including eight correlational/open clinical trials, four published randomized controlled trials, and one unpublished randomized controlled trial.
- Jobes, D. A. (2012). The collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS): An evolving evidence-based clinical approach to suicidal risk. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 42, 640-653.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
There is ongoing research to modify the CAMS Framework for children 4-12 experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors with a particular emphasis on engaging parental/family support and modifying terms and language based on development. Early clinical findings indicate that “CAMS-4Kids” could be effective, but comprehensive research is needed to optimize its application.
- Anderson, A. R., Keyes, G. M. & Jobes, D. A. (2016). Understanding and treating suicidal risk in young children. Practice Innovations, 1, 3-19.
- Jobes, D. A., Vergara, G., Lanzillo, E., & Ridge-Anderson, A. (in press). The potential use of CAMS for suicidal youth: Building on epidemiology and clinical interventions. Children’s Health Care.
Much of the empirical work supporting the use of CAMS has been conducted in community mental health treatment settings both in the United States as well as abroad.
- Andreasson, K., Krogh, J., Wenneberg, C., Jessen, H. K., Krakauer, K., Gluud, C., … & Nordentoft, M. (2016). Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy versus collaborative assessment and management of suicidality treatment for reduction of self-harm in adults with borderline —A randomized observer-blinded clinical trial. Depression and Anxiety, 33, 520-530.
- Comtois, K. A., Jobes, D. A., O’Connor, S., Atkins, D. C., Janis, K., Chessen, C., Landes, S. J., Holen, A., & Yuodelis Flores, C. (2011). Collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS): Feasibility trial for next-day appointment services. Depression and Anxiety, 28, 963-972.
CAMS has been used extensively in crisis center settings in the United States and around the world. Its flexibility and adaptability ensures its effective use for suicidal crisis patients.
- Jobes, D. A. (2016). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach 2nd edition. New York: Guilford Press.
- Ryberg, W., Zahl, P-H., Diep, D. M., Landro, N. I., & Fosse, R. (2019). Managing suicidality within specialized care: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 249, 112-120.
The assessment aspect of CAMS can be used within relatively short-term employee assistance programs to assess and even briefly treat suicidal risk in employees. Meta-analytic research has shown that the assessment approach used within CAMS functions as a therapeutic assessment.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
- Poston, J. M. & Hanson, W. E. (2010). Meta-analysis of psychological assessment as a therapeutic intervention. Psychological Assessment, 22, 203-212.
CAMS has been extensively used in the California penal system with suicidal inmates and in the Georgia juvenile justice system with suicidal incarcerated youth. Initial research supports its effectiveness, and there is now interest in further studying its impact through a randomized controlled trial. The potential for delivering CAMS via telehealth is also being explored.
- Jobes, D. A. (2016). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach 2nd edition. New York: Guilford Press.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
While CAMS is commonly used in outpatient settings, adaptations for inpatient care have also proven effective. A randomized controlled trial in Oslo, Norway, demonstrated that these adaptations quickly reduce suicidal ideation and overall symptom distress.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ser0000229
- Ryberg, W., Zahl, P-H., Diep, D. M., Landro, N. I., & Fosse, R. (2019). Managing suicidality within specialized care: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 249, 112-120.
The CAMS Framework has been implemented and particularly well-received in half a dozen tribal nations in the United States. Its flexibility and cross-cultural adaptability allows for the integration of native medicine and rituals into the treatment framework.
- Jobes, D. A. (2016). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach 2nd edition. New York: Guilford Press.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
The CAMS Framework is primarily used in outpatient settings to help suicidal individuals avoid hospitalization whenever possible. Five corelational clinical trials and four randomized controlled trials supports that stabilization planning and treatment of patient-defined suicidal drivers with sufficient documentation to reduce malpractice liability can safely achieve this.
- Jobes, D. A. (2012). The collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS): An evolving evidence-based clinical approach to suicidal risk. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 42, 640-653.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ser0000229
CAMS has been clinically used within primary care across behavioral healthcare systems.
- Archuleta, D., Jobes, D. A., Pujol, L., Jennings, K., Crumlish, J., Lento, R. M., Brazaitis, K., Moore, B. A., & Crow, B. (2014). Raising the Clinical Standard of Care for Suicidal Soldiers: An Army Process Improvement Initiative. Army Medical Department Journal, Oct-Dec, 55-66.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
Private practitioners often feel isolated and vulnerable when working with suicidal patients. The CAMS Framework offers a structured approach and extensive documentation that helps enhance your practice and reduce malpractice liability.
- Jobes, D. A. (2016). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach 2nd edition. New York: Guilford Press.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
There is growing interest in using CAMS within school settings. Some exploratory work in this area shows promise for effectively using CAMS within a school-based system of care.
- Capps, R. E., Michael, K.D., & Jameson, J. P. (2019). Lethal means and adolescent suicidal risk: An expansion of the PEACE protocol. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 43, 3-16
The CAMS Framework has been adapted in various settings for use within telehealth care. There has been some preliminary use of telehealth CAMS within the U.S. Military. The feasibility of using telehealth CAMS within forensic and rural/frontier environments is also being explored.
- Jobes, D. A. (2016). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach 2nd edition. New York: Guilford Press.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250.
The CAMS Framework was initially developed for use with suicidal students in university counseling centers, making it particularly effective for outpatient treatment of students experiencing suicidal thoughts. Decades of clinical use and research have produced extensive literature supporting its effectiveness.
- Jobes, D. A., Jacoby, A. M., Cimbolic, P., & Hustead, L. A. T., (1997). The assessment and treatment of suicidal clients in a university center. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 44, 368-377.
- Pistorello, J., Jobes, D. A., Compton, S., Locey, N. S., Walloch, J. C…..& Goswami, S. (2017). Developing adaptive treatment strategies to address suicidal risk in college students: A pilot Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART). Archives of Suicide Research.
Dozens of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and across various networks of VA healthcare systems (VISN’s)—both outpatient and inpatient—have implemented CAMS training. Veterans Affairs (HSR&D) is now funding a randomized controlled trial of CAMS for suicidal walk-in veterans at the San Diego VAMC.
- Jobes, D. A., Gregorian, M. J., & Colborn, V. A. (2018). A stepped care approach to clinical suicide prevention. Psychological Services, 15, 243-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ser0000229
CAMS is ideally suited for integration into the Zero Suicide policy approach to systems-level suicide prevention. It can be readily adapted into model to provide effective evidence-based care for suicidal risk across treatment settings and populations.
Looking for more guidance about how to add the CAMS Framework into your grant applications?
We’d love to connect with you. Submit your request and a CAMS-care Specialist will be in touch as soon as possible.
Description of Evidence-Based Practice Being Used
CAMS stands for the “Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality” (CAMS). Backed by 30 years of research, the CAMS therapeutic framework is a suicide-focused assessment and treatment tailored to a patient’s suicidal risk. It is a flexible approach that can be used across theoretical orientations and disciplines for a wide range of suicidal patients across treatment settings and within different treatment modalities. One of the foundations of the CAMS Framework is having the patient complete portions of the “Suicide Status Form” (SSF) in collaboration with the clinician. The SSF is used at the start and end of every CAMS session, assessing suicide risk and carefully documenting the patient’s suicide-focused treatment plan tailored to their needs.
CAMS is supported by eight published non-randomized trials and four published randomized controlled trials (RCT’s), which are the “gold standard” of proving that a treatment is effective in an acausal manner. There is additional support for CAMS from an unpublished RCT and four on-going RCT’s of CAMS are being performed in the US and abroad (two in Seattle, one in San Diego, and an inpatient RCT in Germany). To date, there is no suicide-focused intervention with more clinical trial support than CAMS.
Cost of CAMS Training
In order to become CAMS adherent, the cost of books, online videos, in-person role-play training and consultation calls can vary by group size between $8,000 for a group of 20 or fewer to $24,000 for a group of 100 clinicians.
In addition, CAMS-care offers educational training for large groups of clinicians and non-clinicians to learn about the field of suicidology, suicidal drivers, assessment and treatment options. These educational sessions are available for groups of up to 300 attendees at a price of $4,250.
How Staff Are Trained to Implement the Evidence-Based Practice
Staff will be trained by CAMS-care, the only authorized trainer of the CAMS Approach to reducing suicide risk. CAMS-care offers an integrated training model that enables most clinicians to become adherent to this evidence-based approach with their first CAMS patient and clinicians frequently report that this training model provides them with the confidence and clarity to use CAMS effectively with patients.
The training model includes: (1) the CAMS Book; (2) Foundational Video Course, a 3-hour online clinical demonstration of the use of CAMS with a patient through the course of 12 sessions, including the development of a viable CAMS Stabilization Plan, how to identify patient-defined “drivers” of their suicidal risk and the creation of a collaborative treatment plan; (3) practical role-play training with an authorized CAMS expert, which will include group discussion to strategize challenging case presentations, and how to apply the CAMS approach to a specific population of focus; (4) up to six months of consultation calls with a CAMS expert to answer questions and help new CAMS clinicians with current CAMS cases.
How Fidelity of the Evidence-Based Practice is Monitored
The CAMS Rating Scale (CRS) can be used to monitor adherence and fidelity to the CAMS Framework. The CRS is supported by two published scientific papers attesting to its psychometric validity and reliability. CAMS-care can assist in the establishment of adherence and fidelity to the model.
For more information, review SAMHSA’s manual: Developing a Competitive SAMHSA Grant Application (PDF)
Benefits of the CAMS Framework
Empirically-Validated Treatment
Cost-Effective Care
Flexible Approach
Easy & Affordable Training
Reduced Malpractice Risk
Shared Understanding
Across worldwide clinical trial studies, replicated data show the CAMS approach to suicidal risk:
- 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
- The best proven treatment for randomized trials.
Its adaptability across different therapeutic orientations and its ease of learning make CAMS a preferred choice for a multidisciplinary array of mental health professionals.