Gatekeeper Training and Minimum Standards of Competency: Essentials for the Suicide Prevention Workforce

Abstract. Gatekeeper training (GKT) is one of the most widely used suicide prevention strategies. It involves training people who are not necessarily clinicians to be able to identify people experiencing suicidality and refer them to appropriate services. While there is a dearth of research that supports the causal link between GKT and reduced suicide rates, this is likely the result of a variety of factors including training design, definitions of “gatekeepers,” differing populations in which the gatekeeper (GK) operates, and other variables that may influence suicide rates. Despite this, research suggests that GKT improves people's knowledge, skills, and confidence in helping individuals who experience suicidal ideation and enhances positive beliefs about the efficacy of suicide prevention. However, there is no consensus on GK competencies to allow differences in effectiveness between various training programs to be measured, that is, knowledge, skills and abilities, attitudes, and self-efficacy attributes expected of a person resulting from the training. This paper discusses challenges in developing GK competencies. It uses developments in suicide prevention competencies for clinicians, vocational education, and training sector competencies, as well as empirical work in GKT, to propose minimum GK competencies that may be examined for further research and evaluation of programs.