The potential use of CAMS for suicidal youth: building on epidemiology and clinical interventions

It is vital to better understand and effectively treat suicide, as it remains a leading cause of death for youth. The present article discusses the epidemiology of suicidal outcomes for youth and provides an overview of existing treatments. The "Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality" (CAMS) - an evidence-based suicide-specific treatment - is presented, followed by a discussion of the potential benefits of adapting it to youth. Patient-defined "suicidal drivers," which are identified and targeted within CAMS-guided treatment, may be especially pertinent to suicidal youth who are in the beginning stages of grappling with their experience related to suicide. Current efforts to adapt CAMS for suicidal adolescents and children are described. Crucially, with further development and rigorous clinical research, adaptations of CAMS may one day provide an empirically-proven and reliable approach to reducing suicide risk in adolescents and children.