Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. People who are suicidal usually feel hopeless and have difficulty finding ways to cope with their thoughts and feelings. Most college students who die by suicide are experiencing mental health concerns, most commonly depression. Identifying and treating mental health problems is especially important in suicide prevention. As a member of the UNH community, you may help prevent the tragedy of a suicide. The most effective way to prevent suicide is to know the warning signs, take those signs seriously, and respond appropriately.
PACS offers one-hour, in-person suicide prevention training called QPR for all faculty, staff, and students. QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer, is much like CPR; they are both basic strategies to keep a person alive until they can receive medical or mental health care. You can think of it as a "safety net."
The training covers the following information:
- Common myths and facts associated with suicide
- Warning signs of suicide
- Tips for asking questions about suicide
- Methods for persuading suicidal individuals to get help
- Ways of referring at-risk people to have local resources
- Other questions you might have about suicide
If you would like to request a QPR training, please fill out our QPR Training Request Form. We will be in contact with you at our earliest convenience. If you have general questions about QPR, or would like additional information, you can contact PACS by calling (603) 862-2090 (Relay NH: 1-800-735-2964) or visit the QPR website.
