CALM was developed in New Hampshire to equip mental health providers to collaboratively and effectively counsel their patients and families on why and how to reduce access to lethal means - especially firearms - when someone is at risk for suicide. It was designed to assist providers who are often not gun owners to have these conversations in respectful and culturally appropriate ways that are acceptable to their gun-owning families. Since then, CALM training has been provided thousands of times around the country in in-person workshops, as well as a number of online adaptations including one specifically geared to pediatricians hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since the pandemic, CALM training has also been provided virtually while still offering participants a variety of learning methods as well as interaction with both instructors and their colleagues.
Our History
CALM Principals and Trainers
Elaine Frank
Elaine Frank, MHS, is an Injury Prevention professional who has worked at the intersection of firearm safety and suicide prevention for more than fifteen years. She is the co-developer of CALM and of the Gun Shop Project. She has promoted the collaboration between the firearm and public health communities through program development, training, and consultation throughout the country.
Catherine Barber
Catherine Barber, MPA, is a Senior Researcher at the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. She led the pilot for what is now the National Violent Death Reporting System, directs Means Matter, co-founded the Gun Shop Project, wrote the country’s first suicide prevention training for firearm instructors, co-developed the current version of CALM and leads the writing of online versions , and has published extensively on suicide and firearm injury.
JP Jameson
Dr. John Paul (“JP”) Jameson is a Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and completed a post-doctoral residency at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas. His clinical and research interests focus on suicide prevention for adolescents in school-based mental health settings. In addition to his work in mental health, JP is an NRA-certified Range Safety Officer and firearms enthusiast.
Kurt Michael
Dr. Kurt Michael recently retired as the Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University to take on the role of Senior Clinical Director at the Jed Foundation, a national suicide prevention non-profit. Kurt received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Utah State University and completed his Internship in Child Clinical Psychology at Duke University Medical Center. For the past 23 years, he established and sustained a nationally recognized program of funded research and clinical practice in school mental health, adolescent suicidology, and rural healthcare. Kurt is a licensed psychologist in Utah, a CALM Trainer, a national consultant for the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) and a shooting sports enthusiast.
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FAQs
Are CEs available?
While all participants who successfully complete the trainings are eligible to receive certificates of completion, accredited CEs are not available at this time. We are in the process of applying for CE accreditation with several professional organizations. Please check back, as we hope to have a different answer to this question soon!
How much do the trainings cost?
Virtual trainings are priced by seat; in-person trainings are priced by event.
What training is currently available?
We currently offer Clinical Workshops that are intended for clinicians and counselors in a wide variety of settings. Additionally, we offer Train-the-Trainer seminars that prepare individuals to become Workshop trainers their own communities. In addition to clinical trainings, we offer CALM Conversations- a gatekeeper training for non-clinical audiences- and the Lethal Means Institute- a training that brings together community stakeholders to help develop customized suicide prevention strategies. We also offer organizational consultations to help CALM take root.
Are the trainings available virtually or on site?
We offer both web-based and in-person trainings. See our Upcoming Trainings page for a list of available online trainings. If you are part of an organization that wants a dedicated training session for your clinicians, contact us for pricing and scheduling information.
How long are the trainings?
Certified CALM Clinical Workshops are 3 hours; Train-the-Trainer Seminars are approximately 10 hours over two days.
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