Overview
In 1999, the former Surgeon General of the United States declared suicide to be a national crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year in the United States, approximately 30,000 individuals die by their own hand. This is the equivalent of one person every 18 minutes, or 80 each day. Most individuals are grossly unaware of the magnitude of this societal problem.
The encouraging news is that effective prevention models exist, leading the Surgeon General to also assert that suicide is the single most preventable cause of death in this country. Devereux as a Partner in Prevention with QPR Institute offers an array of services to enhance an existing suicide prevention program or to create a comprehensive and cost-effective program from the ground up. The primary goal is to reduce the likelihood that a member of the community will make a life-threatening attempt or complete suicide.
Products & Services
- QPR Gatekeeper Training - a 90-minute training in suicide awareness and prevention to become a Gatekeeper . This training reviews suicide risk factors, warning signs, and, most importantly, how to respond should the participant observe these warning signs. Gatekeepers are expected to be assertive and forthright, to directly question an individual about suicide should they observe any warning signs, and to make every effort to ensure that the individual is seen by a mental health professional immediately.
- QPR Gatekeeper Instructor Training an 8-hour program to train and certify QPR instructors who then conduct the 1-2 hour QPR gatekeeper training programs.
- QPRT-Question, Persuade, Refer, and Treat an 8-hour competency-based advanced training for mental health professionals in suicide risk assessment, management of the suicidal client, and documentation.
- Consultation in Crisis Response Plan development - This plan outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of staff members in the event that a serious suicide attempt or completion occurs. By specifying staff responses to such an event in advance, confusion, panic and anxiety is significantly reduced for all involved and a calm environment is promoted, an essential ingredient to controlling contagion and unnecessary litigation.
1 A Gatekeeper is anyone trained to recognize a suicide crisis and, because of their training, knows how and where to find help (Quinnett, P. (1995). Certified QPR Gatekeeper Instructor’s Manual, Spokane: QPR Institute).
Potential Audiences
- Mental Health Provider Agencies & staff
- Social Service Agencies & staff
- First Responders including police and EMTs
- Parents & Foster Parents
- High Schools & Universities
- Community groups (for instance, Rotary, Kiwanis, faith communities)
Customers Trained by Devereux Staff on Behalf of the QPR Institute
- Governmental Agencies
- The State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- The State of Virginia Statewide suicide prevention plan
- District of Columbia Department of Mental Health/Public Schools
- The State of Missouri Department of Mental Health
- Chester County, PA Youth Suicide Task Force
- Cherry Hill, NJ School District
- Provider Agencies
- Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) Bucks County
- Mercy Home Health Services Philadelphia, Delaware & Bucks Counties
- Pressley Ridge Allegheny County
- Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania
- Parent/Family Advocacy Groups
- NAMI of Chester County
- NAMI of Bucks County
- Invited speaker at the 2004 JCAHO Conference on the Prevention of Patient and Resident Suicides
For more information contact Paul LeBuffe at (610) 542-3090 or plebuffe@Devereux.org. | | |
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| Suicide Risk Mangement |
| The staff of ICTR offer training and consultation to agencies, colleges and universities, schools and community groups on suicide risk management and suicide prevention. Training includes community and school-based suicide prevention, suicide risk management in behavioral healthcare agencies, and suicide risk assessment for clinicians. Consultation is provided to colleges, universities, high schools and behavioral health care agencies in establishing evidence-based, system-wide suicide risk management programs. Contact Paul LeBuffe at (610) 542-3090. |
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