Suicide Prevention Trainings

YOU can be an important part of preventing suicide in your community. Understanding suicide prevention, intervention, and response is not only valuable for mental health service providers, but is important for every single person in our community. Friends, family members, teachers, classmates, neighbors, law enforcement, medical providers, members of the clergy, and many others can benefit from knowing the signs and what to do! Please consider bringing one of these trainings to a group you’re involved with, and know that the Taskforce can help make it happen! Contact the Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Taskforce Communications Chair if you would like help bringing a training to your group!

• About Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
• How to Attend a Training Through the Taskforce

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer- 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. The Gatekeeper Training can be delivered in as little as one hour, and attendees leave prepared to recognize the warning signs of suicide, knowing how to offer hope, and how to get help and save a life. People who can be trained as Gatekeepers include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide. The Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Taskforce has QPR trainers available, please contact Erin Lewis for more information!

• Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)/Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMFHA)

Get Involved!

Make suicide prevention training and awareness a part of new hire orientations and ongoing staff development, no matter your business or industry.

FREE Suicide Prevention materials, including:

• Suicide Safe Mobile App for smartphones
• Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage Pocket Card for Clinicians
• Lifeline wallet cards and magnets
• Suicide Awareness brochures in English and Spanish
• Web banners and logos that can be added to websites and social media

Put them around your office space, place on tables during events, distribute to all staff, hang magnets on your fridge, include in welcome packets to new members, post on community boards, add banners and logos to social media and websites.

About the Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Taskforce

The mission of the Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Taskforce is to develop and implement strategies to reduce the risk of suicide in Montgomery County through the collaborative efforts of community agencies and service providers.

Major Projects of the Taskforce

• Find and utilize data specific to Montgomery County to inform prevention efforts
• Promote/help coordinate appropriate suicide prevention trainings in the community
• Coordinate with individual school districts to promote Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Monthly Taskforce Meetings (Start at 9:30am)

• When: 3rd Tuesday of every other month
• February 16th at 9:30 am (virtual)
• April 20th at 9:30 am
• June 15th at 9:30 am
• August 17th at 9:30 am
• October 19th at 9:30 am
• December 21st at 9:30 am

If you're interested in attending any of these meetings, please contact elewis@montcopa.org for information about date, time, and location.