Anderson Township parents, coaches and educators can learn a 90-minute suicide prevention method at no cost through a virtual training on Oct. 23.
Step Up Anderson Township, a local nonprofit focused on youth safety, is promoting the session through the latest episode of its podcast, Step Up to Save Our Children. Episode 36, released Sunday, Oct. 4, features founder Denise Mayer in conversation with Kristen Smith of Envision Partnerships about QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer.
The method teaches non-professionals three steps: how to question someone who may be at risk, how to persuade them to seek help and how to refer them to appropriate support. Envision Partnerships, a Hamilton, Ohio-based prevention organization, compares it to CPR. Where CPR prepares bystanders for a medical emergency, QPR prepares them for a mental health crisis.
The Oct. 23 training is free and held over Zoom. Registration is required through the Step Up Anderson Township website. A start time was not listed in the registration materials.
Mayer is a 53-year Anderson Township resident and grandmother of six grandchildren who attend Forest Hills Schools. In the episode's show notes, she said parents do not need all the answers but can learn to notice warning signs, ask questions, listen and connect young people with help.
Smith leads QPR instruction through Envision Partnerships and chairs the Butler County Suicide Prevention Coalition's Walk to Remember planning team. Certified QPR Gatekeeper Instructors lead each session, according to the coalition's website.
The podcast episode covers warning signs parents should watch for, how to approach a teenager with concerns and reducing stigma around mental health. It is available on podcast platforms and YouTube.
Residents who want to schedule a separate group QPR training can contact Smith at [email protected].
The Children's Psychiatric Intake Line is available at 513-636-4124.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
