Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, Vol 67(3), Aug 2026, 228-237; doi:10.1037/cap0000444
Each year, over 700,000 individuals die by suicide worldwide. Both the Canada and Quebec National Suicide Prevention Strategies advocate suicide prevention training for all mental health professionals. We conducted a mixed-methods survey, qualitative and quantitative, to document the needs and barriers regarding suicide prevention training within Graduate Studies Programs in Psychology in Quebec, Canada, in 2023. Of the 27 programmes/streams in French or English institutions and accredited by the Quebec Order of Psychologists, 21 (78%) participated, represented by 12 programme or clinic directors with several years’ experience in their role. Semistructured interviews lasted 13–56 min (median 32 min); recordings were translated to English as necessary. We analyzed themes along four domains: suicide risk assessment and management, competing needs, challenges in providing training, and implementing standardized training. Of 21 participating programmes/streams, 19 (90%) provided training on suicide risk assessment and management. Representatives felt students were well prepared to assess suicide risk but less so to manage individuals contemplating suicide (interventions, safety plan). All curricula included core competencies, such as building empathic relationships, but skills like coordinating care with other professionals and working with minorities or neurodivergent populations were insufficiently covered. Barriers included cost and time constraints. Almost 40% of representatives supported province-wide standardized preinternship training for all future psychologists; another 25% disagreed, citing institutional autonomy. Standardized suicide prevention training would provide all psychologists with the skills to assess and manage individuals contemplating suicide, including a shared language with other health care professionals to facilitate coordinated care and services within the community. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)