RVU Begins Offering New Suicide Prevention Program

In January 2021, RVU Mental Health & Wellness Counselors Karen Robinson, LPC, and Dr. Kathy Killian-Harmon, LMFT, will begin offering Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training. QPR is like CPR in that it teaches skills to anyone interested in administering first aid and successfully getting someone the help they need. QPR saves lives, which is why it has been recognized by SAMHSA and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center as an evidence-based practice for suicide prevention.

In the beginning phases of the rollout, this training will be offered to OMS I, OMS II, PA, and MSBS students and student doctors, with plans to offer the training in the future to OMS III, OMS, IV, as well as faculty and staff. The goal is to have 100% of the RVU community trained in QPR within the next few years.

What does QPR mean?

•     Q – Question
•     P – Persuade
•     R – Refer

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps 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. Through training that can be completed in as little as one hour, QPR Gatekeepers learn to recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope, and help to save a life.

QPR training is especially significant within a professional healthcare educational institution, as, sadly, healthcare professionals are at greater risk for suicide than the general population (Dutheli, et al., 2019). Getting trained in QPR and applying your skills is a step in the direction of changing this trend!

Be on the lookout for communication via e-mail regarding upcoming registration for training. For more information, please contact Karen Robinson, LPC.

References

Dutheil, F., Aubert, C., Pereira, B., Dambrun, M., Moustafa, F., Mermillod, M., Baker, J. S., Trousselard, M., Lesage, F. X., & Navel, V. (2019). Suicide among physicians and health-care workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 14(12), e0226361. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226361