QPR Suicide Prevention Training Courses

Learning Goals and Objectives

Participants earning a certificate for the QPR Suicide Triage Training program should be able to:

• Interview potentially suicidal people and determine immediate risk of a suicide attempt
• Reduce the risk of a suicide attempt through a collaborative crisis and safety planning process
• Know what to say, what questions to ask, what the answers to your questions mean, and how these answers will determine what needs to be done to prevent a suicide attempt
• Estimate the level of acute suicide risk using a "best practice" methodology used by thousands of mental health professionals
• Understand common terms and communicate effectively about suicide risk with other professionals
• Document precise and accurate suicide risk information in a concise and competent manner
• Immediately reduce the acute distress, despair, and hopelessness of suicidal persons through an empathic, understanding interview in which protective factors can be brought into play to create a safety and survival plan and reduce the risk of a suicide attempt
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Foundational information included in this training will allow the learner to:

• Describe the US National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and the major resource and training organizations in suicide prevention in America. If from another country, the learner should be able to describe national and regional suicide prevention efforts in his or her own country.
• Understand suicide as a major public health problem
• Describe the relationship of untreated mental illnesses and substance abuse to increased suicide risk
• Understand means restriction and how to immediately reduce risk
• Recognize and identify at least five risk factors for suicide
• Recognize and identify at least five protective factors against suicide
• Understand the nature of suicide and describe relevant research
• Describe groups at high risk for suicide
• Demonstrate basic engagement and helping skills in a brief assessment of suicide risk
• Recognize suicide warning signs
• If a school counselor, be familiar with unique youth suicide risk information and programs
• Pass a nationally standardized exam on suicide risk assessment and management