ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
Call 692-1766 for more information or to register.
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. 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.
ASIST helps prepare caregivers
ASIST is designed to help all caregivers become more willing, ready and able to help persons at risk. Suicide can be prevented with the help 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, pharmacists, teachers, counselors, youth workers, police and correctional staff, school support staff, clergy, and community volunteers.
ASIST has five learning sections:
1. Preparing: sets the tone, norms, and expectations of the learning experience.
2. Connecting: sensitizes participants to their own attitudes towards suicide. Creates an understanding of the impact which attitudes have on the intervention process.
3. 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.
4. Assisting: presents a model for effective suicide intervention. Participants develop their skills through observation and supervised simulation experiences in large and small groups.
5. 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 152-page Suicide Intervention Handbook and a full color, tear-resistant 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 and punish 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
Peoria had its first ASIST workshop on June 1 and 2, 2008 at ICC North Campus, given by a trained Mental Health Association staff member and a National ASIST trainer. Ten (10) Helpline staff and volunteers participated in the training. The Mental Health Association of Illinois will have two more staff trained in November 2008 in New York City which will allow us to provide another Peoria ASIST training in late 2008 and in Spring 2009. Join over 750,000 caregivers and participate in LivingWorks' ASIST workshop. Call Diane Brown, Program Coordinator, at the Mental Health Association (692-1766 extension 15) to be placed on our mailing list for our future Peoria ASIST trainings. For more information you may also visit www.livingworks.net.*
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.____________________________________________________________________________________
*Note: LivingWorks has been helping communities become suicide-safer since 1983. Their programs are an important part of national and regional prevention strategies worldwide.