Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention

Many of us are in regular contact with people who are at risk of suicide without knowing it. People who are experiencing suicidal thoughts may not be able to communicate their distress directly, and so warning signs may be missed or misinterpreted.

Training can provide people with the knowledge and skills to identify these warning signs, talk to that person about suicidal thoughts and connect them with professional care. Whilst there are many training programs that deliver skills in mental health awareness, Question-Persuade Refer (QPR) has the strongest evidence for building skills to help with a suicidal crisis.

QPR training will provide you with:

• knowledge and skills to identify warning signs that someone may be suicidal
• confidence to talk to them about suicidal thoughts
• connect them with professional care.

The Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention and Awareness Network is a member of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative and participating in the LifeSpan trial. Lifespan is Australia’s largest integrated suicide prevention program being rolled out in four locations across NSW and is expected to reduce suicide deaths by 20% and suicide attempts by 30%. If you are interested in receiving QPR Training, please visit the Suicide Prevention Collaborative website.