Teaching Note—Enhancing Social Work Education in Mental Health, Addictions, and Suicide Risk Assessment

ABSTRACT

Social workers play a critical role in assessing and treating individuals and families with mental health and addiction concerns. Although social workers are key professionals in the mental health workforce, there are gaps in the training and education of mental health, addictions, and suicide, and many students are inadequately prepared for field education. Simulation-based learning is an exemplar method of teaching and assessing practice competencies across several health-care professions including social work. This teaching note describes a simulation-based learning activity in which MSW students build competence in mental health, substance use, and suicide risk assessments with standardized clients. This innovation is integrated in a social work practice in mental health course and was developed in partnership with a community mental health and addiction treatment center. Through this partnership, we developed core competencies, case scenarios, as well as teaching resources and assessment instruments. An advisory committee consisting of MSW students, faculty members, and field instructors evaluated the simulation-based learning innovation and made recommendations for the next iteration. Implications for teaching social work practice in mental health are discussed.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Toronto Teaching Fellowship (2018–19).

Notes on contributors

Toula Kourgiantakis

Toula Kourgiantakis is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Karen M. Sewell

Karen M. Sewell is a Doctoral Candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Eunjung Lee

Eunjung Lee is an Associate Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Keith Adamson

Keith Adamson is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Megan McCormick

Megan McCormick is an Advanced Practice Clinical Leader at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Dale Kuehl

Dale Kuehl is an Advanced Practice Clinical Leader at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Marion Bogo

Marion Bogo is a Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.