Posted at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Suicide-prevention workshops planned across Hawaii
Advertiser Staff
The state Department of Health is conducting suicide-prevention workshops statewide designed for "gatekeepers" or those who may be in contact with troubled individuals who may be considering suicide.That target audience includes counselors, teachers, social workers, clergy, crisis workers, law enforcement, health workers, and anyone concerned about family members and friends are invited.
Suicide continues to be an urgent public health issue in Hawai'i:
The workshops are being conducted in partnership with the Suicide Prevention Task Force and Hawai'i S.P.E.A.R. (Suicide Prevention Education Awareness Research) Foundation of America,
The two-day suicide prevention training, called Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), prepares individuals to recognize and respond to those in crisis. Workshop participants learn to use a suicide intervention model to reduce the risk of suicide. The workshop also covers information to link people with community resources.
The schedule is:
Participants must register, pay in advance and commit two full days (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to the workshops. For registration, cost information and meeting locations, call 734-9211 (Kapi'olani Community College). This information will also be posted under the health events section of the DOH Web site at www.hawaii.gov/health.
