Solution-Focused Tools for Campus Collaboration and Crisis Navigation

This 3-credit-hour introductory course equips participants with Solution-Focused Safety Assessment (SFSA) strategies for responding to college campus crises. Learners will identify how SFSA differs from problem-focused risk assessment, observe video demonstrations, and practice using the SFSA tool to create individualized safety plans, including skills such as resource activation, amygdala whispering, best hope mapping, VIP mapping, and scaling. The course emphasizes student-centered language: using exact student words, indirect compliments, and “for you” statements, to strengthen agency and coping. Participants will learn to create individualized safety plans that connect reasons for living, scaling of safety, and VIP involvement. The course will offer a discussion on ways to coordinate these plans with faculty, probation officers, campus police, and other resources to ensure culturally responsive collaboration across campus systems. Appropriate for all levels of knowledge.

• Social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors.
• College advisors, case managers, student services professionals, faculty, interdisciplinary teams
• All experience levels; introductory focus

By course end, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the core principles of Solution-Focused Safety Assessment (SFSA), including resource activation, amygdala whispering, VIP mapping, best hope mapping, and scaling, and explain their relevance in campus crisis situations.

2. Identify how the Solution-Focused Safety Assessment differs from problem-focused risk assessment by analyzing key distinctions in structured reading materials, video observations, and case examples.

3. Observe and analyze video demonstrations of the SFSA tool, identifying how student-centered language, indirect compliments, and “for you” statements calm emotional intensity and foster engagement.

4. Practice using the SFSA tool to develop individualized safety plans that reflect student strengths, reasons for living, and best hopes, guiding immediate next steps in a crisis.

5. Apply individualized safety plans in collaboration with campus systems using a case vignette and by using solution-focused strategies such as scaling for safety and VIP involvement to strengthen coordination and long-term resilience.

Hour 1: Define the purpose and principles of Solution-Focused Safety Assessment (SFSA) and distinguish it from problem-focused risk assessment. Introduce key SFSA skills, including resource activation, amygdala whispering, best hope mapping, VIP mapping, scaling, and student-centered language.

Hour 2: Observe video demonstrations of the SFSA tool in practice. Discuss how strategies such as amygdala whispering, “for you” statements, and indirect compliments reduce emotional intensity and strengthen student agency. Highlight the role of reasons for living, scaling, and VIP involvement in fostering safety and engagement.

Hour 3: Apply SFSA skills through interactive case vignettes. Learners will co-construct individualized safety plans using students’ exact words, then explore how to coordinate these plans across campus systems (e.g., faculty, probation officers, peers, campus police). The session concludes with a group discussion on ensuring that safety plans are collaborative, culturally responsive, and adaptable to diverse campus settings.

Participants will be assessed in the following manner:

• Class Participation: Participants are invited to clarify things they do not understand, pose questions, offer ideas, and broaden perspectives. Attend the entire live session (cameras on unless accommodation granted)
• Actively participate in activities and discussions
• Complete the post-session evaluation.
• Receive their Certificate of Completion upon meeting all requirements

3 CE Credit/Clock Hours are available for this live course.

Please see our Continuing Education Information page for information about CE credits, clock hours, and our accreditations and approvals for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists.

The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy offers continuing education credit for this live, interactive 2-hour course. Participants must attend the full session with their cameras on, actively engage in course activities, and complete a post-course evaluation to receive a certificate of completion.

Psychologists

The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 3 continuing education hours.

The Institute is also recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0127).

Social Workers

The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, provider number 1831, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/22/2023 – 9/22/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical continuing education credits.

The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (#SW-0656), and by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling.

Counselors

The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7049. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. Counselors completing this course receive 3 clock hours.

The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0233), and by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Participants should check with their professional licensing boards to ensure that a specific course will be accepted for their continuing education requirements.

To receive continuing education hours, the participant must attend the entire online presentation with their camera on, engage in all activities, and complete the course evaluation.

Upon successfully completing the course, participants will be given instructions on downloading and printing their Certificates of Completion.

No conflicts of interest or commercial support are present for the CE program, instructor, or presentation.

Our complete list of policies can be viewed here.