MAGIC VALLEY, Idaho — The Idaho State Department of Education is providing a free, online suicide prevention training to Idahoans eighteen or older.
The Question, Persuade and Refer Training (QPR) is part of the Idaho Lives Project, which aims to prevent youth suicide.
“I want everyone to feel empowered to help someone… I also want to see that students across the state of Idaho have a caring adult that they can rely on should they be in emotional distress,” said Sherri Ybarra, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction.
According to a 2019 Idaho Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 10% of surveyed students reported attempting suicide, and 39% say they’ve felt sad or hopeless. Similar to how CPR training saves lives, QPR training can do the same.
The training instructs how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope and how to get help and save a life.
This training isn’t exclusively for parents or educators; any adult in Idaho has access to the QPR training and they are encouraged to complete it.
Over 1,100 people have completed the training so far, according to Ybarra.
“The children in our community will benefit, because there will be more trained adults who have a better understanding of what signs to be on the lookout for, and also, how to communicate with someone who may be, is struggling with their mental health, who maybe needs help and needs those resources,” said Eva Craner, the Director of Public Relations for the Twin Falls School District.
The training is self-paced and can be accessed through the Idaho Lives Project website. If you or a loved one needs someone to talk to, you can reach out to the 24-hour Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a phone call or 208-398-4357 to text.
