SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE

In the Fall of 2013, the Putnam County Suicide Prevention Task Force was created under the co-leadership of Megan Castellano, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Putnam County and Marla Behler, Program Coordinator of the CAC of Putnam County.  The task force is a multi-disciplinary approach to address the issue of suicide prevention in Putnam County.  Members include professionals from mental health and chemical dependency organizations, county departments including health, mental health, the veterans service agency and youth bureau, schools, law enforcement, the coroner’s office, clergy and individuals who have lost a family member or friend to suicide.

Available Trainings:

QPR: QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide.  

Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying “Yes” to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor.

QPR can be learned in our Gatekeeper course in as little as one hour.

SAFETALK: safeTALK is a half-day alertness training that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK-trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.

Since its development in 2006, safeTALK has been used in over 20 countries around the world, and more than 200 selectable video vignettes have been produced to tailor the program’s audio-visual component for diverse audiences. safeTALK-trained helpers are an important part of suicide-safer communities, working alongside intervention resources to identify and avert suicide risks.

Training features:

• Presentations and guidance from a LivingWorks registered trainer
• Access to support from a local community resource person
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• The simple yet effective TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
• Hands-on skills practice and development

safeTALK offers valuable skills to everyone 15 and older and requires no formal training or prior experience in suicide prevention. Because it only takes half a day to learn, safeTALK is an excellent tool for people who want to become alert to the dangers of suicide in a convenient timeframe. Although formal caregivers such as social workers and counselors employ safeTALK skills, the program is also used by students, teachers, community volunteers, first responders, military personnel, police, public and private employees, and professional athletes—among many others. By providing a universal model with adaptable components, safeTALK offers useful skills to every audience.

safeTALK is a powerful experience. You can expect to feel challenged, empowered, and hopeful. Your safeTALK trainer will demonstrate the importance of suicide alertness and help you identify ways people invite help when they’re at risk. safeTALK’s steps provide a simple yet effective method to engage with people at risk and connect them with resources that can carry out a full-scale intervention. At the end of the training, you’ll have a chance to practice these skills firsthand. All in all, you can expect to leave safeTALK with practical knowledge of how to identify someone at risk and link them to life-saving resources.

ASIST :  Virtually anyone age 16 or older, regardless of prior experience or training, can become an ASIST-trained caregiver. Developed in 1983 and regularly updated to reflect improvements in knowledge and practice, ASIST is the world’s leading suicide intervention workshop. During the two-day interactive session, participants learn to intervene and help prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Over 1,000,000 people have taken the workshop, and studies have proven that the ASIST method helps reduce suicidal feelings for those at risk.

Workshop features:

• Presentations and guidance from two LivingWorks registered trainers
• A scientifically proven intervention model
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• Group discussions
• Skills practice and development
• A balance of challenge and safety

The ASIST workshop is divided into five sections that follow in a logical progression to gradually build comfort and understanding around suicide and suicide intervention.

Preparing: Sets the tone, norms, and expectations of the learning experience.
Connecting: Sensitizes participants to their own attitudes towards suicide. Creates an understanding of the impact that attitudes can have on the intervention process.
Understanding: Overviews the intervention needs of a person at risk. It focuses on providing participants with the knowledge and skills to recognize risk and develop safeplans to reduce the risk of suicide.
Assisting: Presents a model for effective suicide intervention. Participants develop their skills through observation and supervised simulation experiences in large and small groups.
Networking: Generates information about resources in the local community. Promotes a commitment by participants to transform local resources into helping networks.

Resources

Download our HOPE brochure

Download our HOPE posters

Download English Packet