This course is designed to be a recognition and referral training that allows each individual to help create communities of support for mental health, and decrease deaths of despair. The training focuses to increase understanding and awareness of suicide risk. Also, how to intervene when you are concerned about someone you know, connect them with resources, and offer support moving forward.

Intended Audience

All sectors in the community who are interested in mental health awareness/prevention and/or want to support a more resilience and compassionate workplace. This includes Healthcare professionals, public health workers, first responders, education, and beyond.

Course Objectives

• Define many topics related to suicide
• How to indentify individuals who may be at an increased risk
• Understand how to intervene and connect individuals with resources

Length

The length of time for participants to take this course is estimated to be 1.5 hours

Course Content

The course will cover the following:

1. Information about suicide including warning signs, statistics, and risk and protective factors
2. Intervention practice and resources for individuals who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.
3. Challenges to mental health stigma, and lived experience stories.
4. Provide information for suicide loss survivors.

Competencies

COL Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals

• Domain 1: Data Analytics and Assessment Skilss
  1.1 Describes factors that affect the health of community
• Domain 2: Policy Development and Program Planning Skills
  2.3. Evaluates policies, programs, services, and organizational performance
• Domain 3: Communication Skilss
  3A7. Facilitates communication among individuals, groups, and organizations
• Domain 4: Health Equity Skills
  4.2. Engages in continuous self-reflection about one’s biases
  4.3. Recognizes the diversity of individuals and populations
• Domain 5: Community Partnership Skills
  5.1. Describes conditions, systems, and policies affecting community health and resilience
• Domain 6: Public Health Science Skills
  6.1. Describes systems, policies, and events impacting public health
  6.2. Applies public health sciences in delivering the 10 Essential Public Health Services
• Domain 8: Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills
  8.1. Creates opportunities to achieve cross-sector alignment
  8.3. Addresses facilitators and barriers impacting delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services

Presenter(s) and/or Content Experts

• Jessica Provines, PhD, Assistant Vice President for Wellness and Chief Psychologist, Wichita State University
• Marci Young, PsyD, Director of Prevention and Outreach, Counseling and Prevention Services, Wichita State University
• Suzanne Hawley, PhD, MPH, Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Wichita State University

Acknowledgements

The following organizations collaborated on the development of this course:

• Counseling and Prevention Services, Wichita State University (CAPS-WSU)
• Midwestern Public Health Training Center (MPHTC)