Free Suicide Prevention Trainings Now Available Across 13 Kansas Counties
Nonprofit DCCCA has launched a series of free, evidence-based suicide prevention trainings for residents across 13 Kansas counties. The trainings, offered virtually, are made possible through funding from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), via the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) State/Tribal Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program.
The Kansas GLS program supports educational opportunities designed to reduce suicide deaths, behaviors and ideation among youth and young adults ages 10 to 24. Certified trainings are open to residents in two DCCCA service areas: Wyandotte County and Southeast Kansas. Eligible counties include Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson, and Wyandotte. Anyone living in one of those counties, who is interested in attending a training may learn more and register at bit.ly/PreventKS.
The focal point of the initiative is “Question, Persuade, Refer” (QPR), a one-hour virtual gatekeeper training that teaches participants how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and how to question, persuade and refer someone who may be at risk. QPR is modeled after CPR and is one of the most widely used suicide prevention trainings in the country, with more than 8 million people trained nationwide.
“These trainings, provided at no cost to participants, give people in our communities the tools and confidence to step in when it matters most,” said Chrissy Mayer, Chief Community Based Services Officer for DCCCA. “QPR only takes an hour and could be the difference between someone suffering in silence and someone getting connected to help in their moment of need.”
In addition to QPR, DCCCA is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid, Conversations on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), Sources of Strength and postvention support, depending on county eligibility. All trainings are virtual and free of charge to Kansans in qualifying counties. More information is available at DCCCA.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
