Adam M Lesser

  • Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Social Work (in Psychiatry)
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Overview

Adam Lesser is a licensed clinical social worker, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Social Work in the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and deputy director of the Columbia Lighthouse Project at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, where he is responsible for all suicide-prevention activities related to public health, including the international dissemination of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). He has published, presented training internationally, and consulted to state and local governments on best practices for suicide-risk identification and prevention. His work has been featured in Social Work Today magazine and on Atlanta National Public Radio, CNN en Español, Univision, and other local print and television media outlets.

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Social Work (in Psychiatry)

Administrative Titles

  • Deputy Director of Public Health for the Columbia Lighthouse Project

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • MSW, Social Work, Smith College
  • BA, Economics, Tufts University

Research

Selected Publications

Peer Reviewed Journals
*Lesser, A. (2015) "Innovation in Suicide Risk Identification: Increasing Precision, Improving Care Delivery and Redirecting Scarce Resources with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale." Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics, 18(S): S26.

Books/Chapters
Yershova, K., Lesser, A., Logan, K., and Posner, K (2016). Asking about Suicide as Suicide Prevention: The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Chapter in Understanding Suicide-From Diagnosis to Personalized Treatment, ed. P. Courtet. Springer, New York.
Posner, K., Buchannan, J., Amira, L., Yershova, K., Lesser, A., Goldstein, E. (2014) "Identification and Screening of Suicide Risk". Chapter in A concise guide to understanding suicide: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prevention, ed. Stephen H. Koslow, Pedro Ruiz, Charles B. Nemeroff, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Posters
*Lesser, A. (2013) "Comprehensive Suicide Prevention in Schools", Poster presented at the International Academy of Suicide Research World Congress, Montreal, Canada.

Global Health Activities

Psychological Evaluation of Asylum Seekers - Physicians for Human Rights