Virtual Reality Suicide Risk Assessment training at the CAMH Simulation Centre provide medical, nursing, and interprofessional students training on how to conduct a suicide risk assessment that is based on national guidelines and best practices.
By: Camille Teape, CAMH
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is tackling the opioid crisis through education innovation with the creation of Virtual Reality (VR) Opioid Overdose Response Training.
Developed by the CAMH Simulation Centre—North America's first simulation centre focused on teaching, research and quality improvement at all levels of mental health education—the virtual reality training experience teaches health care professionals and community members the skills and confidence to respond effectively to a suspected opioid overdose.
Transforming Education with Immersive Learning
“This form of professional learning is more than receiving knowledge—it's about applying knowledge and learning through experience," explains Stephanie Sliekers, Director of Simulation and Digital Innovation at CAMH. “The virtual reality environment allows participants to practice essential skills in a way that builds confidence and preparedness."
The training teaches participants how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, administer naloxone, and provide essential support to people in distress. The VR training combines the realism of a high-pressure emergency scenario with the safety of a controlled environment, ensuring that learners are well-prepared for real-world situations.
A Safe and Accessible Training Model
The guided training provides prompts to help participants navigate the overdose response process. This approach not only builds technical proficiency but also fosters the confidence needed to act decisively in emergencies.
“We're creating a safer, consistent, and standardized environment for health professionals to hone their skills without putting patients at risk," says Dr. Petal Abdool, Medical Director of the CAMH Simulation Centre. “Acute events like overdoses require split-second decisions, and our VR training ensures participants are ready to respond when it matters most."
In addition to the Simulation Centre's in-person training, a computer desktop version of the gamified VR experience can be accessed by anyone with a computer and internet access, ensuring life-saving skills are available to everyone.
Dr. Ahmed Hassan, an addiction psychiatrist at CAMH and content advisor for the program, emphasizes its transformative potential for all learners, “By making this as easily accessible as a video game, we're giving people the confidence to administer a naloxone dose—even without a clinical background. Just half an hour in this VR simulation can teach someone how to save a life."
Shaping the Future Workforce
Accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the CAMH Simulation Centre is redefining how future health care professionals are trained to respond to the opioid crisis and critical mental health challenges. By combining innovative technology with practical applications, the Simulation Centre is setting a new benchmark for health care education.
In 2022, the Simulation Centre launched a partnership with the University of Toronto to integrate the desktop version of its Virtual Reality Suicide Risk Assessment training into the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Over three years, this collaboration has enabled more than 500 students to develop essential skills through the desktop VR version. Students completing on-site placements at CAMH further benefit from the immersive, headset-based VR training, enhancing their practical skills in the hospital setting.
A combination of accessibility, innovation, and experiential learning, the Simulation Centre is setting new standards of mental health and addiction education to prepare the health care professionals of tomorrow.
For more information about the CAMH Simulation Centre and opioid overdose virtual reality program, visit CAMH.ca.