About Skills-based Training On Risk Management (STORM)

Skills-based Training On Risk Management (STORM) was introduced in 1997 by the University of Manchester and is currently being piloted in Scotland by Highland as part of their Choose Life Local Action Plan.

STORM is a suicide prevention training package for frontline workers in health, social and criminal justice services. It focuses on developing, through rehearsal, the skills needed to assess and manage a person at risk of suicide. The STORM package is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of a service. Training is cascaded throughout an organisation, with four members of staff becoming facilitators and delivering STORM to the remainder of the workforce.

STORM is made up of four modules:

Assessment – This section is compulsory and concentrates on the skills needed to assess the risk of suicide.

Crisis Management – Again compulsory, crisis management focuses on the skills needed to keep a person safe once the risk of suicide has been identified.

Problem Solving – This module is optional, to suit the needs of the participants. It involves helping a person take control of their problems.

Crisis Prevention – again optional, this module focuses on developing a plan for the future in the event that the risk of suicide may arise again.

Highland was the first area to take up STORM in Scotland. Over the last three years, STORM facilitators have delivered training to over 500 participants, adapted to meet local needs and across the service divide. Interest has also been shown from East Ayrshire Community Health Partnership.

The University of Manchester is currently evaluating the impact of training on practice, attitudes to suicide prevention and confidence in skills.

STORM aims to continue to offer training in suicide prevention in Scotland and to offer a self-harm component to the package in due course.

For more information on STORM in Highland, please contact Angela Fisher, Choose Life Training Co-Ordinator at angela.fisher@scvo.org.uk or call 01463 258 823.