Suicide Prevention & Survivor Resources / Links
Brochures
ASIST Workshops (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
- General Information
- Detailed ASIST Description
- Workshop Schedule and Locations
- Registration Form
- Trainers
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK
Local Emergency Services:
1-877-234-0062 toll free
574-234-0061 local
operated by Madison Center
ASIST:
APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a unique program that teaches a concise, face-to-face suicide intervention model. Participants in the training learn about their own attitudes concerning suicide, how to recognize and assess the risk of suicide, how to use an effective suicide intervention model, and about available community resources. Since suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in our country, and because it is estimated that six people are significantly impacted by each death to a suicide, a large percentage of our population has come into contact with a suicidal person at some point. The major objective of ASIST is to offer a practical model of suicide intervention for all caregivers. The term "caregiver" is broad, thus the mission of ASIST is to provide a suicide intervention model that anyone can learn.
The workshops are offered to educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, clergy, medical professionals, administrators, volunteers, and anyone else who might be interested in adding suicide intervention to their list of skills. The focus of ASIST is to reduce the immediate risk of suicide. The goal of the Suicide Prevention Council is to teach a broad spectrum of people in our community how to do just that. By reducing the inhibition to help, we hope that more people will be relieved of the distress of suicidal behavior.
Workshops are provided by the Suicide Prevention Council.
Next Workshops :Aug. 26th and 27th, (Tues/ Wed)
Oct. 28th and 29th, (Tues/ Wed)
Feb. 24th and 25th, 2009 (Tues/ Wed)
Crowe Chizek and Company LLC
Salon C and D
320
East Jefferson Blvd.
South
Bend, IN 46624
For a more complete description of ASIST, see below.
Registration
form is available for
printing, please register by Mail FAX or Phone:
Granger, IN 46530.
For questions about the workshop or scholarships, please call Laura Medow,
Chair at 574-220-6381
Detailed Information About ASIST
Several workshops are offered each year (see workshop dates)
*Registration
is limited to 30 participants per session;
registrants will be accepted on a first-come basis.
ASIST is a concise face-to-face suicide intervention model that provides intensive, interactive, and practice-dominated course design, and intervention skills to prevent the immediate risk of suicide.
During the two-day workshop, participants will examine their attitudes about suicide, learn how to effectively recognize and estimate the risk of suicide, and develop new and/or reinforce existing intervention skills. ASIST also addresses the need to develop a collaborative network among participants since caregivers often have to work together to prevent suicide.
The workshop is for all caregivers (any person in a position of trust). This includes professionals, paraprofessionals and lay people. It is suitable for mental health professionals, nurses, physicians, teachers, counselors, youth workers, police and correctional staff, school support staff, clergy, and community volunteers.
ASIST has five learning sections:
- Preparing - sets the tone, norms, and expectations of the learning experience.
- Connecting - sensitizes participants to their own attitudes towards suicide. Creates an understanding of the impact which attitudes have on the intervention process.
- Understanding - overviews the intervention needs of a person at risk. It focuses on providing participants with the knowledge and skills to recognize risk and develop safe plans to reduce the risk of suicide.
- Assisting - presents a model for effective suicide intervention. Participants develop their skills through observation and supervised simulation experiences in large and small groups.
- Networking - generates information about resources in the local community. Promotes a commitment by participants to transform local resources into helping networks.
Emphasizing structured small-group discussions and practice, the course uses a 20-page workbook and two award-winning audiovisuals. In addition to the workbook, participants receive a 110-page Suicide Intervention Handbook and a full color, laminated pocket card featuring intervention, and risk review and safeplan development principles. They serve as living refreshers of the workshop learning.
ASIST is the most widely used, acclaimed and researched suicide intervention skills training in the world through LIVINGWORKS EDUCATION and has been refined over 15 years. Over 200,000 participants and 800 active trainers have participated in this two-day, highly interactive, practical, practice-oriented workshop. Just as "CPR" skills make physical first aid possible, training in suicide intervention develops the skills used in suicide first aid.
ASIST is the Suicide Prevention Council's approach to investing the community with locally based training resources. Local resources can then transfer learning to others in the community in a cost effective manner.
20050525
Suicide Prevention Council of St. Joseph County
And Surrounding Areas
ASIST: The Benefits Live On
People are dying for suicide first aid
Suicide affects us all. It's an international problem. For example, more than 30,000 Americans and 3,500 Canadians kill themselves each year. Research studies in the United States and Canada show four to five percent of the population have attempted suicide during their lifetime. One in nine persons has seriously considered suicide.
Anyone can be at risk. Men and women of all ages, of all occupations and all socioeconomic groups are at risk. Children and teens are at risk. There is no guarantee of safety from suicide. The key to suicide prevention is trained caregivers who are ready, willing and able to get involved with each individual at risk -- caregivers who can recognize individuals who are at risk and who know how to intervene to prevent the risk of suicidal thoughts becoming suicidal behaviors.
What are the costs?
How do you put financial value on the loss of a life? One economic study in the United States, showed each youth suicide resulted in an average loss of 53 years of life and $432,000 of economic productivity --that total adds up to a staggering 262,000 lost years and $3.19 billion each year. In Canada, 12% of hospital critical-care and 2% of insurance pay-outs are suicide related. But the economic and health costs pale alongside the emotional costs of suicide. A lost spouse, son, daughter, friend or co-worker can't be replaced. And as those who have experienced such loss understand, it is the emotional costs which demand our involvement in preventing suicide.
Something can be done
The vast majority of those thinking about suicide will find some way to signal their intent. Most suicidal people are looking for another option. They don't want to die. But preventing suicide takes two people --a helper and the person at risk.
United Nations guidelines and national strategies in Australia, England, Finland, Norway, Scotland and the United States emphasize that caregiver competence is a critical component in any large scale suicide prevention program.
ASIST helps prepare caregivers
ASIST is designed to help all caregivers become more ready, willing and able to help persons at risk. Suicide can be prevented through the actions of prepared caregivers.
Just as "CPR" skills make physical first aid possible, training in suicide intervention develops the skills used in suicide first aid. ASIST is a two-day intensive, interactive and practice-dominated course designed to help caregivers recognize risk and learn how to intervene to prevent the immediate risk of suicide.
The workshop is for all caregivers (any person in a position of trust). This includes professionals, paraprofessionals and lay people. It is suitable for mental health professionals, nurses, physicians, teachers, counselors, youth workers, police and correctional staff, school support staff, clergy, and community volunteers.
ASIST has five learning sections:
- Preparing - sets the tone, norms, and expectations of the learning experience.
- Connecting - sensitizes participants to their own attitudes towards suicide. Creates an understanding of the impact which attitudes have on the intervention process.
- Understanding - overviews the intervention needs of a person at risk. It focuses on providing participants with the knowledge and skills to recognize risk and develop safeplans to reduce the risk of suicide.
- Assisting - presents a model for effective suicide intervention. Participants develop their skills through observation and supervised simulation experiences in large and small groups.
- Networking - generates information about resources in the local community. Promotes a commitment by participants to transform local resources into helping networks.
Emphasizing structured small-group discussions and practice, the course uses a 20-page workbook and two award-winning audiovisuals. Participants receive a 110-page Suicide Intervention Handbook and a full color, laminated pocket card featuring intervention, and risk review and safeplan development principles. They serve as living refreshers of the workshop learning.
ASIST is designed to help all caregivers become more ready, willing and able to help persons at risk. Prepared caregivers can help prevent suicide.
Unprepared caregivers tend to deny, avoid, even stigmatize persons at risk. That is what society has traditionally done. All evidence indicates that unprepared caregivers continue this dangerous tradition. Training is required to turn denial, avoidance and stigmatization into vigilance, understanding and help.
Learn suicide first aid
Join over 400,000 caregivers and participate in LivingWorks‚ ASIST workshop. Learn to recognize and estimate risk, and become more effective at helping people at risk. The benefits will live on.
LivingWorks
The LivingWorks Program is a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated approach to suicide prevention which involves the entire community. LivingWorks creates learning experiences that help communities prevent suicide and assist life. We are a public service corporation, dedicated to enhancing resources today and saving lives for tomorrow. Our programs are cost-effective and easy-to-learn, with practical applications for all concerned community members. For more information see www.livingworks.net
There are registered trainers in your area through the Suicide Prevention Council of St. Joseph County and Surrounding Areas prepared to present ASIST and build community skills.
For more information see http://www.sjcsuicideprevention.com or call Laura Medow [Council Chair] at 574-220-6381.
Nothing is likely to change unless you help change it. You took the time to read this. You know something others don't. Act on your knowledge.
20050502
The trainers for ASIST workshops have undergone formal, intensive training conducted by LIVINGWORKS EDUCATION, to become certified to provide the ASIST Program in our community. Details of the training and its background may be found on our site, and that of LIVINGWORKS.net.
For more information about the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, or to request registration materials, please contact the Youth Services Bureau by phone (574-235-9231) or fax (574-235-5578). The ASIST registration form is available for printing on this website.
Steven Bright
Manager of Childrenšs IOP Services,
Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, Inc.
Goshen, IN
Steven currently serves as Manager of Childrens IOP Services at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center in Goshen. Steven received his master's degree from the Ohio State University specializing in child and family services and is a licensed clinical social worker in Indiana. For the past several years he has served as the site coordinator for Columbia University's Teen Screen Program, which has screened over 1800 students within the surrounding high schools for suicidal ideation and undiagnosed mental illness. Steven has supervised and assessed multiple children in crisis situations and serves as an ASIST trainer.
Melissa Ropp
Director,
Youth Development Services
Youth Services Bureau, South Bend, IN
Melissa received her Degree in Psychology in 1990. She began her career at the YWCA's Women's Shelter counseling victims of domestic violence and their families. For the past twelve years she has been working in the Youth Development Services program, which provides individual and small group counseling to elementary school children, classroom prevention programs, and referral services for children and their families. Melissa has been a certified Trauma and Loss School Specialist since 2000 and became a certified ASIST Trainer in 2003.