The Department of Health in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Task Force and Hawai‘i SPEAR Foundation of America is conducting suicide prevention training statewide. This training is geared to “gatekeepers” or those who may be in contact with suicidal individuals.
The Department of Health in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Task Force and Hawai‘i SPEAR Foundation of America is conducting suicide prevention training statewide. This training is geared to “gatekeepers” or those who may be in contact with suicidal individuals. Counselors, clergy, community caregivers, crisis workers, law enforcement , psychologists, school administrators, social workers, teachers, and anyone interested in preventing suicides are invited.
This two-day suicide prevention training called Applied Intervention Skills Training prepares individuals to recognize and assess the risk of an individual in crisis and teaches them to provide suicide prevention, first aid, and minimize suicide risk. It also provides information about referring people to appropriate resources.
“These workshops give gatekeepers the tools to save lies and will help develop our community capacity to recognize and help people who are at risk of suicide.” said Dr. Chiyome L. Fukino, director of health, in a press release.
Suicide continues to be an urgent public health issue in Hawai‘i:
• Suicide is the single leading cause of injury death in Hawai‘i.
• Hawai‘i loses 128 lives to this tragedy each year (about one every three days). And another 870 are hospitalized after attempting to take their own life.
• Nationwide, Hawai‘i had the second highest percentage of youth who reported that they “seriously considered attempting suicide” (nearly 20 percent).
• Hawai‘i had the second highest percentage of youth who reported “attempted suicide” among 39 sates reporting (39 percent).
The scheduled ASIST workshop on Kaua‘i will be April 3-4. Participants must register in advance and commit two full days (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) for the workshop. For registration and cost information, call 734-9256 (Kapiolani Community College) or the Department of Health at 586-5939.
This information is also posted on the DOH Injury Prevention Web site at www.hawaii.gov/health/healthy-lifestyles/injury-prevention/index.html.
