• Sept. 8: A virtual QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training session, noon.
• Sept. 9: A Campus Mental Health Supports Resource Fair, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the SAC Atrium.
• Sept. 9: Virtual QPR training, 3 p.m.Ěý
• Sept. 9: AFSP’s virtual “It’s Real: Mental Health for College Students” video and discussion, 6-7 p.m.Ěý
• Sept. 10: Bereaved by suicide support groups, faculty and staff, 12-1 p.m.; students, 2-3 p.m.Ěý

Also to mark National Suicide Prevention Week, UofL Health – Peace Hospital and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear are calling on everyone to help those in crisis find resources and save lives.Ěý

“With the mental health challenges many people have faced during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to be supportive, to make sure they realize they are not alone, for us to know the signs and to take immediate action to help those in crisis,” Governor Beshear said in a press release. “Through the remainder of this pandemic and as we emerge, we must look out for our fellow Kentuckians and protect one another to prevent us from losing more beloved family members, friends and neighbors to suicide.”

Last year, 756 Kentuckians died by suicide, making it the 11th leading cause of death and second among those ages 10-34.Ěý

Peace Hospital is among the largest behavioral health facilities in the nation, offering 24/7 no-charge assessments and support for all ages. Call 502-451-333.Ěý

More information about the on-campus Cards Speak events can be . Cards Speak counseling hours are also at 502-852-6585.Ěý

Also, the UofL ConcernCenter is available to help you find resources on campus based on various concerns. .Ěý

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255.Ěý

“More than 10 million Americans will have thoughts about suicide every year. We lost a heartbreaking 756 Kentuckians last year. One is too many,” said Martha Mather, Chief Administrative Officer of UofL Health – Peace Hospital. “It is important we talk about suicide and mental health. The more we talk about it, it reduces the stigma. And the more we know about it, the better prepared we are to step in to help.”

The program, called QPR, which stands for “Question, Persuade, Refer” trains people to react to warnings of suicide with the same kind of step-by-step, quick-action, life-saving procedure as CPR.

“This helps a person know how to react when someone they know is exhibiting signs of suicide,” said Tracie Meyer, Coordinator of , UofL’s suicide prevention program.

Cards Speak offered the training in collaboration with The Louisville Health Advisory Board (LHAB) Behavioral Health Committee and the Kentucky State Zero Suicide Grant program.

“The LHAB has set a Bold Goal of providing QPR training to 10,000 Jefferson County residents during, which is September 9-15,” Meyer said. “We are in the beginning stages of planning these events, and this was one of them. We have QPR trainers traveling throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee to help us reach our goal.”

The training encourages people to listen and watch for suicide warning signs. It provides dialogue to help ascertain if a person needs professional assistance and if so, guide them to it.

Sara Choate, interim program manager at Health Promotion, a division of Campus Health Services, said the training is important now more than ever, as a  released this summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that suicide rates rose in all but one state between 1999 and 2016, with increases seen across age, gender, race and ethnicity.

, nearly 45,000 suicides occurred in the U.S. in 2016 — more than twice the number of homicides — making it the 10th-leading cause of death.

Of particular concern Choate said, is that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for ages 15 to 34, which is the typical age range of UofL’s student population.

“Our mission at health promotion at UofL is to offer services, resources and programs for students that address how they can embolden their well-being and resilience in their personal and academic lives,” she said. “Our students are in this high risk age group. So, it’s our responsibility in the health promotion field, especially on campus, to talk about creating opportunities to improve social connectedness, which is one of the main protective factors.”  

Meyer said that there are a number of others on campus who have already received QPR Training, especially in Campus Housing and in the Dean of Students Office. All first-year medical students undergo the training, too.

There will be additional free, 90-minute QPR Suicide Prevention Training sessions offered throughout Louisville Sept 9-15. .

for ways to help if you know someone who is exhibiting signs of suicide.