Training

Training

The following are trainings related to suicide and mental health that are available in South Dakota. Funding is available to cover costs associated with some training.

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Upcoming training

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) *Now available virtually!

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that teaches the general public how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The training helps individuals identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses. The program helps build mental health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness.

Mental Health First Aid offers specialty modules in: High Education; Military Members, Veterans & Their Families; Public Safety; Older Adults; and Rural Communities.

Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) 

Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) is a total of 4.5 hours, with either three 1.5 hour sessions, or six 45 minute sessions. It teaches teens in grades 10-12 or ages 15-18 how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. From this training, teens will be prepared to provide support for their peers as well as better cope with mental health challenges themselves – and learn how to seek the help of a responsible and trusted adult. It is required for 10% of the school staff to be trained in YMHFA prior to this training.   

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) *Now available virtually!

Youth Mental Health First Aid reviews the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents ages 12-18.  This 8-hour course emphasizes the importance of early intervention and covers how to help and adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.

Natural Helpers of South Dakota

Natural Helpers of South Dakota trains middle and high school-aged students on ways they can help during difficult situations. These students are selected by their peers using an anonymous school-wide survey. Students are trained to recognize when they can help their peers and when to ask a trusted adult for help with issues beyond the student’s comfort level. This training can be provided in a virtual or in-person format, however this training requires a complete school day of 6.5-7 hours, it is strongly encouraged to facilitate this course in person. After the training, further instruction, education, and support will be offered based on the needs of the school.

This training is intended to do one of three things: 1. Enable participants to facilitate the initial implementation and subsequent follow up activities of the Natural Helpers of South Dakota program in their school or youth serving organizations; 2. Allow participants to partner with staff members of the state’s prevention resource centers during the initial implementation and subsequent follow up activities of the Natural Helpers of South Dakota program in their school or youth serving organizations; and 3. Increase the participants’ familiarity with Natural Helpers of South Dakota and allow them the ability to support on-going activities after the initial program implementation has been completed by staff members of the state’s prevention resource centers.

NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS)

NAMI Ending the Silence is an engaging presentation that helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.

NAMI Ending the Silence presentations include two leaders: one who shares an informative presentation and a young adult with a mental health condition who shares their journey of recovery. Audience members can ask questions and gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic. Presentations are available for students, school staff and families.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

The ASIST workshop is for anyone who wants to feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Over one million people have participated in this two-day, highly interactive, practical, practice-oriented workshop. Watch a video about ASIST.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) *Available virtually

QPR is a one to two hour training that teaches 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR to 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.

QPR offers specialty modules for: School Health Professionals; Farmers; School Setting; Native American; Late Life Suicide; Residential; Law Enforcement & Emergency Service Professionals; and Youth

Question, Persuade, Refer, Treat (QPRT)

QPRT is an 8 hour training to help professionals who assist, evaluate, manage, counsel or treat persons at-risk of suicide better assess and monitor those at elevated risk for suicidal behaviors using the QPRT model.

Question, Persuade, Refer, Triage (QPR Triage)

The QPR Suicide Triage method was developed to help volunteers and professionals who interview, assist, evaluate and counsel potentially suicidal persons over the telephone, or in person, better assess and intervene and/or refer those determined to be at elevated risk for suicidal behaviors.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) *Available virtually

CALM is a free online course offered the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and is designed for providers who counsel people at risk for suicide, including mental health and medical providers.

Means Safety

Means Safety is designed to help parents and adult caregivers of at-risk youth recognize the importance of taking immediate, new action to restrict access to firearms, alcohol, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the home. The intervention also gives parents and caregivers specific, practical advice on how to dispose of or lock up firearms and substances that may be used in a suicide attempt. The targeted audience would be staff from the Emergency Department and behavioral health staff.

Safety Planning

Safety Planning is used to provide people who are experiencing suicidal ideation with a specific set of concrete strategies to use in order to decrease the risk of suicidal behavior. The safety plan includes coping strategies that may be used and individuals or agencies that may be contacted during a crisis. The Safety Planning Intervention is a collaborative effort between a treatment provider and a patient. The target audience would be any behavioral health or health staff.