Free suicide prevention seminar offered
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
News from New Life Christian Center
POLSON — A free training to help reduce suicide will be offered Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at New Life Christian Center in Polson.
“Having moved to Polson in June, I quickly realized the impact teen (and adult) suicide is having on our community and schools,” Chriss Sopke, Sr., pastor of New Life Christian Center. “With one of my personal core values being ‘everyone matters,’ I quickly began looking for ways to help those who are contemplating suicide realize their value not only to the Lord but those around them.”
Sopke sought the help of Dr. Mike Ferguson to see if New Life church could assist community leaders and children in the awareness and prevention of suicide and provide tools to do so.
Dr. Ferguson is a psychologist, suicidologist, and the founder of a National Teen TXT Crisis Line, connecting youth and young adults with text counselors who walk with them through emotional, relational, and suicidal crisis.
The seminar will be offered free to the community (a $175 value) as a way to demonstrate the church’s support for hardworking teachers, first responders, police, fire, medical providers, and others interested in this important subject.
Those who attend the full 8-hour training will receive three certifications: Mental Health First Aid Certification, C.A.L.M. (Conversation about Access to Lethal Means Certification) Certification, and QPR Certification.
MHFAC is a nationally accredited training course that can teach anyone crisis intervention. It enables people to become first responders in a mental health crisis; just as First Aid does in a medical health crisis.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer — three simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. 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. QPR is specially designed to train people to save the lives of those thinking of suicide
Dr. Ferguson will also be preaching a message on the topic on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m., which is open to the community.
For more information, call the church at 406-883-2447.
