Veterinary medicine is a community, and a community supports its members. For that reason, the AVMA is pleased to begin offering free training in suicide prevention to all veterinary professionals.
The free training – known as QPR gatekeeper training, short for “question, persuade, refer” – has been available to AVMA and SAVMA members for several years as a pilot program. More than 2,500 members have completed or begun the training, and their positive feedback fueled the decision to expand the program to the entire veterinary community.
How does the training work?
QPR teaches people without professional mental health backgrounds to recognize the signs that someone may be considering suicide, establish a dialogue, and guide the person to seek professional help. It’s not a substitute for professional assistance, but it can be a critical tool to save lives – and it’s something that any veterinary professional can learn to do.
QPR training is conducted entirely online and takes only about 60 minutes. It covers these key topics:
- Warning signs of suicide
- How to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal
- How to get help for someone in crisis
- Common causes of suicidal behavior
The training is conducted through the QPR Institute, which has trained more than 1 million people since it began operating in 1999. Funding for the program has been provided jointly by the AVMA, AVMA LIFE, and AVMA PLIT.
Learn to save lives
Veterinarians, veterinary students, technicians, assistants, practice managers, and all other veterinary professionals are eligible to take this free online training. Please help us share this news by inviting colleagues to take advantage of this opportunity. If you’ve already started the program but not completed it, why not finish your training now? Remember: Doing so can help save lives.
As a community, the wellbeing of every veterinary professional matters – what affects one of us, affects all of us.
Get started now at avma.org/QPR.
Posted March 26, 2021