The Hope Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties is hosting a free Suicide Prevention QPR Training on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at the Ponderosa Grill in Huntington at 6:00 pm. Castle Country Radio sat down with Suicide Prevention Specialist, Amanda McIntosh to get all the details.
“QPR is an evidence-based suicide prevention training and during that hour and half long, free training, you learn the most common warning signs for suicidal ideation, and then we go into questioning somebody’s suicidal intent, how to persuade them to live, and then ultimately who and when to refer them to resources within our area. It’s super detailed event where everybody that comes and stays through the event are certified in QPR, much like CPR,” stated McIntosh. Suicide is a leading cause of death among Utah’s youth and elderly adults so receiving this free training could help prepare you for a crisis.
The event will be held at the Ponderosa Grill in Huntington, as owner and operator, Sara Gordon shares the details, “Its on the Jan. 16, please come. It’s an hour and half long. Come and eat, we are offering 20 percent off to anybody who comes eat, that’s off everything, desserts, drinks, and our food is the best. So please come, Amanda also has some swag that she’s going to bring. I think it will just be a night of information, a night of help, and a night of healing.” This QPR training is very important and means the world to Gordon as her family lost their son a year ago to suicide. She is looking forward to helping community members get the QPR training and hopes that many of them will take advantage of this free training being offered.
Families may wonder what age is appropriate for this training and honestly its up to the parents. “It’s a conversation that needs to happen within the family. If your family has been exposed to suicidal ideation or a suicide loss, chances are you’ve had conversations with your youth about it. Through the QPR Institute, we really do recommend that it be 14 and over. My daughter is 10 and she has sat through the QPR training a number of times because she’s been exposed to it and I want her to have the tools necessary so that if she encounters somebody in a suicidal crisis, even a bullying situation or what not at school, she has those tools. So it’s really kind of under parent consideration,” explained McIntosh.
For further information about the Free Suicide Prevention QPR Training contact McIntosh at the Southeast Utah Health Department at (435) 637-3671 or visit the Hope Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties Facebook page.