PT Library offers suicide prevention training

Since 1999, the suicide rate in Pennsylvania has increased more than 30 percent according to a report released this summer by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
For National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Peters Township Public Library will host” Question, Persuade, Refer: Suicide Prevention” in partnership with Prevent Suicide PA from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The library is the first in the state to offer the suicide prevention training called QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer – the three simple steps that anyone can learn to decrease suicidal behaviors and save lives. The session will discuss how to recognize risk factors and the tools available to help prevent a suicide.
Register to attend online at ptlibrary.org or call 724.941.9430.
A certified QPR trainer from Prevent Suicide PA will run this free training session, which is open to all.
QPR is one of the leading evidence-based programs in suicide prevention in the country. The intent is to recognize and interrupt the crisis and direct that person to proper care. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. For more information, visit preventsuicidepa.org.
Prevent Suicide PA is a new partner organization with PA Forward, a statewide program that works through five key literacies — Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Financial, and Health — connecting residents with information at their local library to enhance their quality of life. The Peters Township Public Library is recognized as a PA Forward Gold Star Library for bringing quality programming and resources to the patrons they serve.