Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Training
Creating a campus community that "Takes Care" of each other is everyone's responsibility. Mental Health First Aid and Question, Persuade, Refer, training can help campus partners identify, understand, and respond to individuals with mental health challenges. When more people are equipped with the tools to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they need.
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training
Individuals learn to recognize the signs of a suicide crisis and how to Question, Persuade, and Refer someone to help. This is a skills-based course. Participants will learn:
- How to recognize the warning signs of suicide.
- How to offer hope.
- How to get help and save a life.
QPR is a 60-90 minute in-person training. To request training or get more information, please use the link below.
Mental Health First Aid
An evidence-based training program designed to help individuals recognize, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges and suicidal crisis. Participants will develop and practice skills that aid in the early recognition of symptoms and how to approach and assist someone who is struggling.
Participants will develop and practice skills that include:
- Recognition of the signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge or suicidal crisis.
- Learning how to approach someone struggling with a mental health challenge.
- How to offer hope and connect individuals with meaningful resources.
- How to encourage help-seeking behaviors.
- How to reduce stigma.
Mental Health First Aid is taught in a blended format. Participants will complete online, self-paced, pre-course work in addition to an in-person skills-based training day. This is a certification course. To request training or get more information, please use the link below.
See what participants are saying
“I enjoyed learning the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge, because now I feel more prepared to approach a person who is experiencing a mental health challenge. I also enjoyed discussing the ALGEE plan, because now I feel more confident when having a conversation with someone who is struggling.”
"The facilitator made the whole thing accessible and relevant to the work that I do daily by clearly communicating the learning points and connecting them back to our work lives."
"Understanding how to approach certain situations and learning that it is okay to speak up and ask someone if they need help. It is uncomfortable but important to do so."
Acknowledgment of financial support
CMU has been graciously awarded the SAMHSA Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant. The cost for both trainings is currently covered by the grant.