Suicide prevention training ongoing

Suicide prevention training is a constant effort.

Ann Perkins, who’s community prevention manager for Sheridan County, said there are many different types of suicide prevention training available, both for adults and children.

QPR, she said, is an acronym for Question, Persuade and Refer. She said the training teaches people to ask the questions – Are you thinking about suicide? Are you having suicidal thoughts? She said the ‘persuade” part teaches people to persuade an individual to not follow through with those actions, and “refer” teaches how to get people to find someone who can help them deal with the situation.

Perkins said people interested in the training can call or email her, and she can set up the training. She said she already has four trainings scheduled for the next month and a half.

She said a two-day training called Assist is scheduled in Buffalo for Feb. 24-25, that teaches not only the signs of suicide but how to intervene. She said people interested in that training can call Bill Johnson in Buffalo for more information.

Perkins said she offered that training here in October 2019 and about 10 people took the course, including police officers and dispatch people.

She said there’s a “mental health first aid” course taught occasionally in Sheridan County, which is an 8-hour course. She said announcements are sent out when that training is being offered.

Training is also offered in schools in Sheridan County, and Sheridan Media will have more on that in another story.

Perkins said there is a Sheridan County Prevention Coalition that meets at noon on the second Tuesday of every month. She said those meetings are currently online via Zoom.

She said anyone who’s interested in those meetings, QPR or other training or additional information can call her on her cell phone at 763-9016 or email her at aperkins@sheridancounty.com.