Save a life by stopping suicide

indiana-youth-institutue

 

 Young people today face an enormous amount of pressure that many adults have never endured. From bullying to the dark sides of social media, some teens may not be able to handle the pressure and begin to think the only way out is to take their own lives. Research compiled by Indiana Youth Institute in its annual KIDS COUNT in Indiana Data Book found that one in five Indiana high school students have seriously considered attempting suicide, and one in six have made a plan to attempt suicide. One in ten have actually tried to take their own lives.

IYI, Children and Family Services and Samaritan Center are hosting a suicide prevention workshop to help youth workers, parents, coaches, teachers and others learn how to spot the warnings signs of suicide. The workshop is on Thursday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Eva Hill Auditorium at the Good Samaritan Hospital, 520 South 7th Street in Vincennes.

Kristi Scherer with Samaritan Center will focus on the concept of QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer. Much like CPR, QPR can save a life by stopping a suicide. These three simple steps can help anyone learn to respond to potential pre-suicide situations. Attendees will learn to recognize the warnings signs of suicidal ideation, know how to offer someone hope, and how to get help for that person.

As part of IYI’s Youth Worker Café program, the forum and lunch are free, but reservations are required and space is limited. Please RSVP at www.iyi.org/calendar or by contacting IYI Statewide Outreach Manager Debbie Jones at djones@iyi.org. For more information on the Youth Worker Café, contact IYI Southwest Indiana Outreach Manager Joe Shrode at jshrode@iyi.org.

Youth Worker Cafés are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children.