QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Training sessions will begin Jan. 28 in Drinko Library Room 402 and be open to all Marshall University students, staff and faculty.

QPR Suicide Prevention Training is a part of the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant and will be sponsored by the grant and Marshall’s Department of Social Work. Clarisa Watson, the coordinator of the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant, said the grant was awarded to the Master of Social Work program at the end of September and is a three-year grant.

When it comes to raising awareness about suicide and mental health among college students, Candace Layne, the director of Marshall’s Counseling Center, said that having open conversations about mental health can help to reduce the stigma and can encourage those in need to ask for help.

Layne has been in the mental health field for 12 years and has worked for the Counseling Center at Marshall for four. She has lead numerous outreach activities that have provided training and education to others on mental health.

College students deal with many internal and external stressors as they learn to adjust to a new social and learning environment.

“The traditional college age is also when mental illnesses tend to have their onset,” Layne said. “So, college students are dealing with a variety of stressors, including stress, financial problems, family concerns [and] confusion about a major and career path.”

Autumn Smithers, a sophomore education major at Marshall who attended one of the QPR Suicide Training sessions during the fall, said that it is important for students to know about suicide prevention, because suicide is common among the college age group.

“Pay attention to how your friends and family act throughout the day,” Smithers said. “Take a second to make sure they’re not at risk.”

Smithers said she became certified in QPR training after attending a session of QPR Suicide Prevention Training.

Two sessions will be held a month until April. The dates are as follows:

Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.

Jan. 31 at 2 p.m.

Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

March 11 at 6 p.m.

March 14 at 2 p.m.

Individuals who are interested in more information about QPR Suicide Prevention Training can contact Watson at [email protected].

Savanah Matney can be contacted at [email protected].