Suicide prevention training offered

February 18, 2012

Part of northern Idaho’s plan to decrease its high suicide rate is to make certain mental health professionals are up to speed on suicide assessment. The Suicide Prevention Action Network is bringing to Coeur d’Alene Shawn Christopher Shae, M.D., one of the world’s leading experts in suicide assessment and psychiatric interviewing, on February 24 for an all-day workshop at the Kroc Center. Shae is the director of the Training Institute for Suicide Assessment and Clinical Interviewing and the author of numerous articles and six books on suicide prevention. The Medical Library Association rates his book, “Psychiatric Interviewing: the Art of Understanding,” as one of the 16 most important books in the field of psychiatry. Shae’s workshop is part of a series of suicide prevention trainings community groups and organizations are providing in northern Idaho. The Coeur d’Alene School District recently trained 3,200 high school students and 1,200 staff in the Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) suicide prevention technique. The district will offer the QPR training to parents this spring. Idaho has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Idahoans between the ages of 15 and 34. The state’s highest suicide rate is in the five northern counties where 53 suicides in 2010 equaled 25 deaths per 100,000 residents. Mental health professionals have called for decades for increased formal training in the area of suicide. SPAN decided to schedule Shae’s workshop to prepare mental health professionals in the region for the increase in referrals they’re likely to see as a result of such trainings as QPR. The Shae workshop has room for 175 participants and is filling fast. It will cost $99 per person and includes Continuing Education Units. For information on or to register for the workshops, e-mail spannorth@gmail.com.