Did you know that suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the US? At Milford First, we strive to be a church where all people know that they matter and are loved, never having to face life's struggles alone. In order to destigmatize mental illness and equip ourselves and our communities for life's challenges, it’s important to talk openly about mental health with others. One of the ways we're doing this is by providing space for conversation around mental health for families in our community.
Join us as we continue the important conversation around critical issues with the next workshop in our mental wellness series hosted by Milford First and facilitated by leaders from Child Focus. This free, in-person training will take place at Milford First on Sunday, January 15 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Registration is appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome.
About the Workshop
Loss of a loved one, friend, neighbor, colleague, or other acquaintance to suicide is devastating. Importantly, there is hope and help for persons contemplating suicide, and you can help others in need. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer – 3 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.
As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper, trainees receive background on the prevalence of suicide and learn to:
recognize the warning signs of suicide
know how to offer hope
know how to get help and save a life
About the Presenter
Melanie Palmer is an Independently Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with Supervisory Status and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor. Director of Training-Melanie Palmer is an Independently Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with Supervisory Status in Ohio and also maintains a LMFT license in California. She is the Director of Training for Child Focus Inc. and a clinical supervisor. She has worked in the outpatient and school-based programs at CFI and has over 20 years of experience working with clients on a variety of issues and challenges. Melanie is a certified instructor for Keeping Children Safe: Child Abuse and Neglect Curriculum for Early Childhood Professionals, Stewards of Children Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She is also a certified instructor for QPR, a Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program, QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and Management program, QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor's Master Trainer and Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Behavioral Health Professionals (AMSR) Trainer as well as a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainer. Melanie develops and facilitates trainings on a variety of topics including trauma-informed care, suicide education, separation and divorce issues, parenting, stress management and self-care, communication, and more. She collaborates and partners with several systems including mental/public health agencies, schools, judicial, law enforcement, business, faith based and other communities in efforts to expand and enhance knowledge to improve the quality of life for all.
Future workshops:
Saturday and Sunday, March 4 & 5, 4:30 to 6 p.m. (two-day training)
LEADS for Youth Sucide Prevention Program for Students
Sunday, April 16, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Understanding the Teen Brain and Providing Healthy Support