By Kayla Dunlevy
Student Life and Wellness is offering a monthly suicide prevention QPR Gatekeeper Training Program this semester to students interested in suicide prevention and awareness.
Training Schedule
Main Campus, Room 353
Oct. 30 at 10 a.m.
Nov. 29 at 10 a.m.
Dec. 19 at 11 a.m.
Brooks City-Base Campus, Room 128
Oct. 11 at 3 p.m.
Nov. 13 at 12 p.m
Training increases awareness
Students openly discussed suicide during an interactive suicide prevention workshop Sept. 5 at Brooks Campus.
Counselor Kathleen Frank, who hosted the September workshop, said about 13 students attended and she was pleased with the turnout.
“My main goal of the training is to increase awareness,” Frank said. “Take warning signs seriously. Suicide is preventable through hope.”
The training provides suicidal warning signs, reveals facts, allows students to discuss the topic openly and puts myths to rest.
The main focus of the training was to present life saving techniques and examples based on American Association of Suicidology’s question, persuade, refer (QPR) method.
QPR teaches participants how to: question someone if you recognize suicidal warning signs, persuade someone to get help and refer someone to the appropriate resource.
Each participant received an official certified gatekeeper certificate of completion. A gatekeeper is anyone in a position to recognize warning signs and clues of someone who may be contemplating self harm. Much like CPR, the fundamentals of QPR can easily be learned and applied to save a life.
Frank also provided information from the American Association of Suicidology, which states that most suicidal people desperately want to live, but are unable to see the alternatives to their problems. Most suicidal people give definite warning signals of their suicidal intentions.
Alex Esquivel, psychology graduate student, attended the training for two different reasons — he has lost several friends to suicide and the topic is related to his studies.
He explained the QPR training was beneficial and he would recommend the workshop to other students.
“I’ve lost close friends to suicide. The topic hits home,” Esquivel said.
