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 decrease suicides in Montgomery County by increasing suicide prevention awareness, education, training, outreach efforts, and reducing stigma.

The Taskforce is comprised of HHS/County offices, external agencies, and community members. Their major projects include:

• Utilizing data specific to Montgomery County to inform prevention efforts
• Promoting/helping coordinate appropriate suicide prevention trainings and events
• Collaborating with individual school districts, colleges, and the community to promote Suicide Awareness and Prevention.

Monthly Taskforce Meetings 

• When: 3rd Tuesday of every other month at 9:30am
• 2/15/22
• 4/19/22
• 6/21/22
• 8/16/22
• 10/18/22
• 12/13/22 (2nd Tuesday due to the holiday)

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