Suicide Prevention Trainings
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer, an emergency mental health gatekeeper training intervention that teaches lay and professional gatekeepers to recognize and respond positively to someone exhibiting suicide warning signs and behaviors. Like CPR, QPR uses a “chain of survival” approach in which the gatekeeper learns to recognize early suicide warning signs, Question their meaning to determine suicide intent or desire, Persuade the person to accept or seek help, and Refer the person to appropriate resources.
The training is delivered in a standardized 1.5-2 hour multimedia format by a certified QPR gatekeeper instructor. Classes must have a minimum of 5 people and can include up to 35 persons per session. Trainings are offered in English or Spanish.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
MHFA is a skills-based training course that teaches participates about mental health and substance-use issues. It helps participates assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the MHFA course, participates learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
Topics covered include depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, and substance use disorder. MHFA teaches about recovery and resiliency- the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and us their strengths to stay well.
The MHFA action plan includes 1) assess for risk of suicide or harm, 2) listen nonjudgmentally, 3) give reassurance and information, 4) encourage appropriate professional help, 5) encourage self-help and other support strategies.
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
ASIST is a two-day, two-trainer, workshop designed for members of all caregiving groups. Family, friends, and other community members may be the first to talk with a person at risk, but have little or no training. ASIST can also provide those in formal helping roles with professional development to ensure that they are prepared to provide suicide first aid help as part of the care they provide.
The emphasis is on teaching suicide first-aid to help a person at risk stay safe and seek further help as needed. Participants learn to use a suicide intervention model to identify persons with thoughts of suicide, seek a shared understanding of reasons for dying and living, develop a safe plan based upon a review of risk, be prepared to do follow-up, and become involved in suicide-safer community networks. The learning process is based on adult learning principles and highly participatory. Graduated skills development occurs through mini-lectures, facilitated discussions, group simulations, and role plays.
If you are interested in becoming an ASIST trainer, Bannock County has a certified train-the-trainer instructor. Please contact Alayna Hallmark at or 208-852-0478 for more information on this.
