QPR for Athletics

Why this training program?

Sports coaches consider a very wide range of issues when preparing athletes; such as physical fitness, speed, stamina, strength and conditioning, flexibility, co-ordination, hydration and nutrition to name but a few. Perhaps consideration also needs to be given to the mental health and well-being of athletes when preparing them to perform under stressful circumstances.

We believe those working in athletics need to know as much about mental health and suicidal behaviors and how to intervene to reduce risk and enhance safety as is reasonably possible. This course is designed to provide knowledge and skills you can use to protect athletes from suicidal self-directed violence.

As many coaches have lost colleagues, student athletes, and even family members to suicide, this training program is also designed to help create a safer world not only in our team, workplace or community, but also in our personal lives. Taught to well over six million people, QPR training works as a universal intervention for all people in distress. Not everyone you may ask about suicidal thoughts will have them, but many people are still in crisis and will need help and behavioral health evaluation, perhaps even treatment.

Program goals:

Upon completion of training, all participants should be able to:

• Understand suicide as a major public health problem
• Understand the common myths and facts surrounding suicide
• Identify unique verbal, behavioral, and situational suicide warning signs
• Recognize and respond to someone in distress who may be at risk of suicide
• Know how to inquire about suicidal intent and desire
• Recognize at least three suicide warning signs
• Recognize at least three risk factors for suicide
• Recognize at least three protective factors against suicide
• Demonstrate increased knowledge, skills, self-efficacy and intent to act to intervene with suicidal athletes and others
• Know how to engage and assist a suicidal athlete or co-worker
• Demonstrate increased knowledge about suicide and its causes
• Engage in an interactive and helpful conversation with someone who has attempted suicide
• Engage in an interactive and helpful conversation with the loved ones or family members of someone who has died by suicide

WHAT THIS TRAINING PROGRAM IS NOT

This training is not a substitute for a college degree in counseling or other helping profession, nor can it provide the face-to-face supervised experience students need to polish their skills.

• This is not a train-the-trainer program.
• The QPR Institute does not vet or otherwise qualify students for this course.