According to the Surgeon General’s National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2001), a gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide.
Gatekeepers can be anyone, but include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide.
As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper you will learn to:
- Recognize the warning signs of suicide
- Know how to offer hope
- Know how to get help and save a life
Why are gatekeepers important?
According to SAMHSA, someone takes their life own life every 15 minutes in the United States, and for every death, there are 25 attempts. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Georgia, per the CDC. This data points to the fact that suicide is a serious problem affecting our communities. Gatekeepers can be the difference between life and death.
Family and friends are often the first to recognize the warning signs of suicide and can take the first step in getting help. Anyone can become a gatekeeper.
What does QPR mean?
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer —the 3 simple steps 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. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor.
QPR can be learned in our Gatekeeper course in as little as one hour. Contact us to schedule your next QPR training today!