More than 800 community members in Oneida and Vilas counties participated in QPR Suicide Prevention Training thanks to additional training sessions coordinated by Ascension Wisconsin Hospitals in Rhinelander, Woodruff and Eagle River.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer. As part of the training, participants learn the knowledge and skills to proactively interact with an individual who may be considering suicide.  
Specifically, those who participated in the Gatekeeper Training gained the knowledge to: 
Know what behaviors/warning signs indicate someone might be at risk for suicide.
Understand risk factors affecting those who attempt or complete suicide.
Effectively communicate with someone who might be at risk for suicidal behavior and know how to refer that person to a mental health professional.
Learn and access community resources available to assist individuals at risk for suicide and their families, friends, and coworkers.
Learn about local and national resources for suicide prevention
“Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis,” said Heidi Pritzl, licensed clinical social worker with Ascension Koller Behavioral Health. 
Pritzl says that participants were also given a three-month post training evaluation to assess impact.
Ascension Eagle River Hospital-Eagle River
Ascension St. Mary's Hospital-Rhinelander
Howard Young Medical Center, part of Ascension-Woodruff