The Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck Community Services Board’s Prevention Services Division offers "ASIST" (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trainings. The 2-day trainings are held from 8 am - 4:30 pm, and each participant MUST attend both days. This workshop prepares school staff and community members who are in designated helping roles and others who have a strong interest in suicide prevention to assess suicide risk and to provide immediate intervention.. This program will assist participants in learning the key warning signs of suicidal thinking and behavior. Be empowered by learning intervention skills that can help avert the tragedy of suicide.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24 in Virginia and is the third leading cause of death in that age group nationally. On average, one Virginia teenager dies each week from suicide. According to the Center for Injury and Violence Prevention Virginia Department of Health publication 'Injury in Virginia 2003: A Report on Injury-Related Deaths and Hospitalizations', there were 621 male suicides and 176 female suicides with 46 of those youth suicides in Virginia during 2003. For additional resources and statistical information, log onto www.preventsuicideva.org.

These workshops are open to the public. If you would like to schedule a training for your organization, please email Prevention Services, prevent@mpnn.state.va.us or call 1-888-PREV-550.

Suicide Prevention Information Links

If you, or someone you know, are having thoughts of suicide please call the

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-TALK www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE

The Division of Injury and Violence Prevention analyzes and reports on suicide data, engages in collaborative statewide prevention planning, and coordinates public awareness activities and statewide training to school personnel, human service providers, faith communities and others on suicide prevention and intervention, including identification of persons at-risk of suicide, screening, counseling and referral. http://www.vahealth.org/civp/preventsuicideva/index.asp

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC): http://www.sprc.org

CrisisLink saves lives and prevents tragedies. We give vital support to those facing life crises, trauma and suicide, and provide information, education and links to community resources to empower people to help themselves.      www.crisislink.org

SOS: Signs of Suicide incorporates two prominent suicide prevention strategies into a single program, combining a curriculum that aims to raise awareness of suicide and its related issues with a brief screening for depression and other risk factors associated with suicidal behavior. The basic goal of the program is to teach high school students to respond to the signs of suicide as an emergency, much as one would react to signs of a heart attack. Students are taught to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide and depression in themselves and others and to follow the specific action steps needed to respond to those signs. http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/schools/index.aspx

 QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. Request a QPR Training for your school, agency, organization or committee group.  http://www.qprinstitute.com/    Download training request form below.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a 2-day workshop designed to teach the skills to competently and confidently intervene with anyone at risk of suicide. Developed by LivingWorks Education, Inc., the workshop prepares Gatekeepers to integrate principles of intervention into everyday practice. http://www.yspp.org/training/asist.htm  Download training request form below.