Marshfield Medical Center-Stevens Point provided funding to support Question Persuade and Refer (QPR) training for suicide prevention. The stressors of the recent pandemic have placed additional worries on Wisconsin residents and have worsened risk factors such as mental health concerns and drug use. Suicide is an important public health concern for the state, particularly in communities where there are not culturally relevant training materials available.
 
To solve this public health problem from a lens of equity and inclusion, all Wisconsin residents need access to training and tools so they can respond if someone they know, or a loved one is in trouble. To address these needs, Marshfield Clinic Health System Center for Community Health Advancement sponsored a Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training in which 10 members of the Spanish Speaking and Hmong communities became certified instructors of QPR where they learned how to teach First Aid for suicide prevention.
 
To prepare for the training, input from both communities was gathered and training materials were enhanced to better represent mental health needs and related practices.
 
Jennifer Smith, QPR trainer and QPR project lead said, “We hope to provide relevant learning to the trainers to take back to their communities and teach others how to help support anyone who might be struggling with a difficult life circumstance or their mental/emotional health. When we know what to look for and how to provide support, we can truly make a difference in lives of our friends, neighbors and community members.”