The Inter Club Counsel (ICC) at Grossmont College held a Gatekeeper presentation about suicide prevention on Wednesday, February 12th.
The program was provided by Grossmont College Student Health Services and Office of Student Affairs, and supported by the Community Health Improvement Partners and the SD Suicide Prevention Council funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
Presenters Tondra Lolin and Hector Martinez addressed the Grossmont community to train attendees how to recognize warning signs of suicide and offer hope to those contemplating suicide. The QPR name sounds very similar to the well-known acronym of CPR, and they both have a purpose to save a life. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer; three steps that are designed to go a long way in saving lives, or stabilizing the situation until professionals are contacted.
“It makes a difference to have someone to talk to”, said presenter Hector Martinez. Martinez and Lolin encouraged the audience to simply talk to suicidal individuals, assuring the crowd that effective communication could impact the individual’s decisions. “We are all gonna be the ones to ask, ‘Hey, are you okay?'” Martinez encouraged the crowd.
The one-hour long presentation was free and open not only to students, but also to parents, staff, faculty, and anyone interested in being trained how to offer hope by knowing what to say and do. The attendees were very enthusiastic learners, engaged and interested in learning how to be life-savers. Attendees received QPR-trained certificates and gift bags full of reference cards, wristbands, and magnets of suicide prevention awareness.
