Identify and Assist

Campuses can train their faculty, staff, and students to recognize when someone might be at risk, and once identified, have procedures in place to give students appropriate referrals for effective care and support services.

professor sitting at a laptop with a small group of ethnically diverse students looking on

(Photo Courtesy of the JMU Creative Media Library/opens new window)

The Columbia Lighthouse Project (opens new window)
Formerly called the Center for Suicide Risk Assessment, this website is dedicated to raising awareness about and implementation of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale or C-SSRS. The site offers background and development information, training, and research.

Gatekeeper Trainings We Offer (see our Trainings page for more information)

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training or ASIST (opens new window)
Just as “CPR” skills make physical first aid possible, training in suicide intervention develops the skills used in suicide first aid. ASIST is a two-day intensive, interactive and practice-dominated course designed to help caregivers recognize risk and learn how to intervene to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. ASIST is widely used by people in a variety of “front line” positions, including counselors, campus security, student services and residence hall staff, health care center staff, social workers and campus ministry.

SafeTALK (opens new window)
A 3-hour training that prepares anyone over the age of 15 to identify persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help to stay safe. Alert helpers know how to use these opportunities to support that desire for safety.

Mental Health First Aid or MHFA (opens new window)
Mental Health First Aid teaches students, faculty and staff the skills needed to identify and support those with mental illnesses and substance use disorders. It is appropriate for primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, young people, families and the general public.

Other Gatekeeper Training Options:

Question. Persuade. Refer. or QPR (opens new window)
QPR offers a variety of trainings, but for the purposes of this page we will focus on their online "Gatekeeper Training" for suicide prevention. This training is listed with SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidenced-based Practices and Policies. It takes about 1 hour to complete, provides information on suicide, and teaches basic helper skills. Attendees will receive an electronic copy of the QPR booklet and a wallet card.