Suicide Prevention in Primary Care

This interactive training workshop on suicide prevention in primary care was led by Katie Gallant, MSW, and Sarah Kemp Tabbut, LCSW, from ND HOPES and ND THRIVES. This workshop equipped participants with the tools and knowledge to implement evidence-based suicide prevention practices. The training was grounded in the Zero Suicide Framework, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention across care settings. 

Through presentations, discussion, and hands-on-exercises, participants learned how to:  

• Summarize suicide rates and risk factors; 
• Identify validated suicide risk screening tools for youth and adults; 
• Conduct a Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) with lethal means reduction counseling; and 
• Connect individuals at risk with structured follow-up and Caring Contacts.

Special Feature: Health Center Presentations
We  featured presentations from two North Dakota health centers currently implementing the Zero Suicide framework: 

• Northland Health Centers
• Coal Country Community Health Center

These organizations shared their experiences, challenges, and successes in integrating suicide care practices into their clinical and data collection workflows. Their insights will provide valuable, real-world examples of how Zero Suicide can be operationalized in rural and community health center settings. 

Presented By:
Katie Gallant, MSW

Katie Gallant, MSW, is a Senior Research Associate in the Public Health department at NORC at the University of Chicago. With eight years of experience in public health and suicide prevention, Gallant provides subject matter expertise on various suicide prevention projects focused on implementation, technical assistance, evaluation, community engagement, and resource development. She is a seasoned trainer in Zero Suicide; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment – Suicide Care (SBIRT-SC); and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR).  Gallant currently leads the provision of technical assistance and evaluation support for health and behavioral health settings implementing SBIRT-SC, with a focus on reaching populations disproportionately affected by suicide in North Dakota. 

Sarah Kemp Tabbut, LCSW

Sarah Kemp Tabbut is the Program Manager for ND HOPES and ND THRIVES. Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of North Dakota with over 15 years of hands-on and public health experience in mental health and suicide prevention. Sarah is well-versed in suicide prevention best practices, including safety planning, lethal means safety, and community-based interventions and is a Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Trainer. Prior to working with ND HOPES and ND THRIVES, Sarah worked for 10 years with the Veterans Health Administration.