Franciscan Health Munster is hosting a free suicide-prevention course in August aimed at helping save lives.
The entry level question, persuade and refer or QPR Suicide Prevention Course, is based on curriculum developed by the QPR Institute. The course aims to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with one suicide taking place every 11 minutes. The suicide rate reached its highest point since 1941 in 2022, with nearly 50,000 Americans taking their own lives. The Indiana Department of Health reports 1,136 suicides occurred in Indiana in 2022 with Lake County having the second highest number of suicides in the state.
According to the QPR Institute, just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help.
Franciscan Health Munster is hosting the QPR Suicide Prevention Course from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Central Aug. 21 in the GI Surgical Conference Room of the hospital at 701 Superior Ave. in Munster.
The course is free, but registration is required. Please contact Franciscan Health Community Health Improvement Coordinator Stacy Zembala at Stacy.Zembala@franciscanalliance.org to register.
