The core competency model for corrections: An education program for managing self-directed violence in correctional institutions.

Self-directed violence (SDV), comprising both suicide and self-injury, presents a continued public health challenge for correctional institutions. In fact, correctional settings are one of four primary targets for the reduction of SDV by leading professional organizations. This article presents a public health solution to SDV in correctional settings, namely the Core Competency Model for Corrections (CCM for Corrections), an educational program for correctional mental health providers. Grounded in the general CCM of Suicide Prevention, we proffer an evidence-based sample curriculum covering 10 SDV prevention competencies in correctional settings. These competencies address both clinical care (e.g., enacting evidence-based treatment plans, using best practice documentation standards) and provider-focused (e.g., managing personal attitudes about SDV and incarcerated persons, engaging in self-care and debriefing) skills. We further espouse the underlying social-cognitive theory of CCM for Corrections toward the goal of identifying mechanisms of action for improved SDV prevention skills. Finally, we highlight considerations in the initial design and testing of CCM for Corrections. These recommendations address (a) utilization of a community-academic partnership approach and corrections SDV advisory panel, (b) selection of an in-person or online training modality, and (c) measurement of sample educational program outcomes. The CCM for Corrections represents a promising approach to SDV reduction and management in correctional settings ripe for collaborative pilot testing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).