Free Suicide Prevention: You Can Save a Life seminar

What would you be willing to invest to save a life?

Howe about a few hours at a free seminar learning how to help a loved one work through a major crisis?

The Wayne-Holmes Suicide Prevention Coalition will hold the Suicide Prevention: You Can Save a Life seminar on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holmes County Health District at 2600 Glen Drive in Millersburg.

“This seminar is invaluable and one that invites anyone who wants to learn more about helping a loved one struggling with suicidal thoughts,” said Jen Grim, director of National Alliance on Mental Illness of Wayne and Holmes County.

This suicide prevention training is for everyone age 18 and older including gatekeepers, peer supporters, case managers, clergy, mental health advocates and anyone who wants to be prepared when a friend or loved one is in a crisis.

Professionals are welcome, but continuing education is not provided.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which takes place during September, is critical because it shines a light on a stigmatized and often misunderstood issue. It creates space for open conversations about mental health, helps educate the public on warning signs and risk factors, and connects individuals to potentially life-saving resources.

Most importantly, it reminds those who are struggling they are not alone and help is available.

This seminar is designed to prepare those who attend to better understand the thought process of those dealing with suicidal thoughts and to gain insight in helping them overcome those thoughts.

This training is free, but preregistration is required. Registrations may be made at secure.givelively.org/.

The seminar will begin at 10 a.m. with a morning session focusing on counseling on access to lethal means conversations. CALM is a practical intervention to increase the time and distance between individuals at risk of suicide and the most common and lethal methods of suicide, particularly firearms.

The CALM practical intervention stands for Counseling on Access to Lethal Means. It is a suicide prevention strategy that focuses on reducing access to methods people might use to harm themselves, particularly firearms and other highly lethal means.

Key elements to CALM include the following:

—Education: Helping caregivers, health professionals and at-risk individuals understand the link between lethal means access and suicide risk.

—Assessment: Identifying if a person at risk has access to lethal means, like firearms or large quantities of medication.

—Counseling: Having a nonjudgmental conversation about ways to reduce immediate risk such as safe storage of firearms or temporarily removing them from the home.

—Collaboration: Working with the individual and possibly their family to find realistic, voluntary ways to make their environment safer during a crisis.

The afternoon session will focus on QPR, which refers to question, persuade and refer, the three steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. This session will be followed by a panel of professionals who will dispense knowledge and provide answers during a time of questions and conversations. The day will wrap up around 3 p.m.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of the coalition by Rodhe’s IGA.