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Suicide prevention training offered |
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February 18, 2012 |
Part of northern Idaho’s plan to decrease its
high suicide rate is to make certain mental
health professionals are up to speed on suicide
assessment.
The Suicide Prevention Action Network is
bringing to Coeur d’Alene Shawn Christopher
Shae, M.D., one of the world’s leading experts
in suicide assessment and psychiatric
interviewing, on February 24 for an all-day
workshop at the Kroc Center.
Shae is the director of the Training Institute
for Suicide Assessment and Clinical Interviewing
and the author of numerous articles and six
books on suicide prevention. The Medical Library
Association rates his book, “Psychiatric
Interviewing: the Art of Understanding,” as one
of the 16 most important books in the field of
psychiatry.
Shae’s workshop is part of a series of suicide
prevention trainings community groups and
organizations are providing in northern Idaho.
The Coeur d’Alene School District recently
trained 3,200 high school students and 1,200
staff in the Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR)
suicide prevention technique. The district will
offer the QPR training to parents this spring.
Idaho has one of the highest suicide rates in
the nation. Suicide is the second leading cause
of death for Idahoans between the ages of 15 and
34. The state’s highest suicide rate is in the
five northern counties where 53 suicides in 2010
equaled 25 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Mental health professionals have called for
decades for increased formal training in the
area of suicide. SPAN decided to schedule Shae’s
workshop to prepare mental health professionals
in the region for the increase in referrals
they’re likely to see as a result of such
trainings as QPR.
The Shae workshop has room for 175 participants
and is filling fast. It will cost $99 per person
and includes Continuing Education Units. For
information on or to register for the workshops,
e-mail
spannorth@gmail.com. |
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