CAMS Brief Intervention (CAMS-BI)
A one session, suicide specific assessment and formulation for consistent, collaborative practice
CAMS Brief Intervention (CAMS‑BI) provides a complete, suicide‑specific assessment and formulation that can be used across services to create consistent, informed understanding of suicidality. It offers a clear, collaborative structure for professionals who encounter individuals experiencing suicidal ideation but may not provide ongoing therapeutic care.
CAMS‑BI delivers a full, structured assessment that strengthens clinical judgement, supports safe decision‑making, and enhances the quality of onward referrals. It ensures that every contact — even brief or one‑off — contributes meaningfully to safety, clarity, and continuity of care.
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What CAMS-BI is
CAMS‑BI is a one‑session, suicide‑specific intervention that enables practitioners to:
- Work collaboratively with the individual using the Suicide Status Form (SSF)
- Identify the immediate drivers of suicidality
- Develop personalised, practical stabilisation strategies
- Support safe transitions to ongoing care
This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the person’s distress and needs, ensuring that information is shared clearly across clinicians and services. It enhances responsiveness by helping teams define what the individual requires in the moment, while supporting continuity of care.
For professionals with first contact
CAMS‑BI is a purpose‑built, evidence‑aligned intervention designed for settings where:
- Professionals encounter suicidality at first contact
- A full course of CAMS treatment is not part of their role
- Immediate assessment, stabilisation, and safe transition are the priority
It stands alone as a complete assessment and formulation, while aligning seamlessly with the wider CAMS Framework where ongoing therapeutic work is available.
Who CAMS-BI is for
CAMS-BI is designed for professionals across sectors who may encounter suicidality but do not typically provide longer term therapeutic intervention. This includes:
- Emergency and crisis responders
- Police, ambulance, and A&E staff
- Custodial, probation, and justice settings
- Education and safeguarding teams
- Housing, community, and voluntary sector workers
- Occupational health and workplace wellbeing teams
It is suitable for multidisciplinary teams and integrates with existing protocols, pathways, and governance structures.
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What CAMS-BI training covers
Training provides a practical, evidence‑based foundation in suicide‑specific care, including:
- Understanding suicide‑specific approaches and why they differ from general mental health support
- The SSF and the side‑by‑side assessment process
- Identifying immediate drivers of suicidality
- Co‑developing crisis response and stabilisation plans
- Means safety conversations
- Assessing imminent risk
- Supporting safe transitions and warm handovers
- Documentation and information‑sharing within your service’s protocols
Why CAMS-BI works
Evidence from randomised controlled trials shows that CAMS reduces suicidal ideation, strengthens therapeutic alliance, and improves treatment engagement. Applying CAMS principles at first contact helps to:
- Reduce distress and hopelessness in the moment
- Improve the quality and clarity of referrals
- Strengthen engagement with individuals who may otherwise disengage
- Support safer transitions between services
CAMS‑BI recognises that not every interaction requires long‑term therapy — but every interaction can be collaborative, validating, and suicide‑specific.
Why CAMS‑BI works
Evidence from randomised controlled trials shows that CAMS reduces suicidal ideation, strengthens therapeutic alliance, and improves treatment engagement. Applying CAMS principles at first contact helps to:
- Reduce distress and hopelessness in the moment
- Improve the quality and clarity of referrals
- Strengthen engagement with individuals who may otherwise disengage
- Support safer transitions between services
CAMS‑BI recognises that not every interaction requires long‑term therapy, but the interaction can be collaborative, validating, and suicide‑specific.
Training format and CPD
- Duration: 1 day (6 hours)
- Delivery: Face‑to‑face or virtual
- CPD: 6 hours, aligned with professional body requirements
- Certification: CAMS‑BI certificate on completion
- Support: Access to CAMS‑care UK resources and optional consultation calls
Common Questions
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CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) is a suicide-specific clinical framework developed by Professor David A. Jobes. It is used to engage with individuals experiencing suicidal ideation or behaviours through a structured, collaborative process.
The adoption of CAMS in the UK was advocated for by Professor Zaffer Iqbal, who recognised its value in strengthening suicide-specific care within NHS and allied settings.
CAMS-care UK delivers training to help clinicians understand the underlying drivers of suicidality, and co-develop treatment and safety plans that are practical, individualised and evidence-based.
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CAMS is not a standardised risk assessment or screening tool for suicidality. It is a therapeutic framework that supports an ongoing, collaborative conversation with the person in crisis.
Key differences include:
- A focus on the drivers of suicidality
- Use of the Suicide Status Form (SSF) to guide assessment, formulation and care planning
- Emphasis on clinical judgement, therapeutic alliance and shared understanding
- Adaptability across a wide range of settings and professions – including those without psychology-specific training
