Training the Community for Suicide Intervention is Sort of Like Training Many for CPR

In late July Copper Shores Community Health Foundation will host ASIST suicide intervention training with help from the West End Health Foundation in Negaunee. The program offers an opportunity for community members, emergency responders, and mental health professionals to learn techniques to prevent suicide. The two-day program dives deep into information such as statistics, as well as steps to take when interacting with someone who is going through a crisis. Copper Shores Outreach and Education Program Director Krissy Martens says that it’s important for many people in the community to have this sort of training.

It’s pretty simple to learn. We do give resources to take home so you can remember the steps. But we like to think of suicide intervention as sort of like CPR. We want to train a lot of people in our community, so that when we have someone who is struggling. There are a lot of people that can help. It’s also helpful if all of those people in the community are talking the same language about suicide intervention so that we can communicate with each other and ultimately make the community, suicide safer. – Krissy Martens, Program Director, Copper Shores Outreach and Education

The ASIST training in Nagaunee in partnership with West End Health Foundation will close registration next Friday. The program will take place over two days on the 28th and 29th. Copper Shores Outreach and Education wants to share the program with many communities throughout the Upper Peninsula and Copper Country. Groups or communities interested in setting up an ASIST training program in the local area should contact Krissy Martens for help with organizing and more information. Those interested in registering for the Nagaunee ASIST training opportunity can find more details here.