QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.
 
Do you know someone affected by mental illness? You can become a mental health champion and learn how to save a life through a research-backed suicide prevention training program. All staff interested in learning the Question, Persuade, Refer technique for preventing suicide are invited to take the training. This free training is offered in collaboration with UK HealthCare's Healthy Kentucky Initiative.

It is mistakenly believed that suicide is inevitable or that talking about it with a person experiencing a mental health crisis will only encourage the individual to act on thoughts of suicide. This online training addresses these and other misconceptions about suicide, including the fact that you do not need to be a medical or mental health professional to save someone’s life.

Like CPR has proven successful in preventing death from a heart attack, QPR can provide the hope and help someone needs to survive a mental health crisis.

Become a mental health champion and make a positive difference in your community. 

Why do we need the QPR training?

• More than 800,000 people die by suicide each year — more than all wars and homicides combined (World Health Organization).
• There is one suicide death every 40 seconds; 15 people every 10 minutes.
• Suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34 in the state of Kentucky in 2020.
• Clinical depression is the greatest cause of disability worldwide and a major risk factor for suicide. Depression is treatable.
• Rigorous, independent studies support the efficacy of QPR.
• Where QPR is taught, suicide attempts and deaths decrease.

What does QPR training involve?
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer. The QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training will teach you:

• Common myths about suicide.
• How to recognize the early signs of suicide.
• How to actively ask and respond to a person in crisis.
• Where to refer someone for the appropriate resources.
• And more.

Need help now?
If you or someone you know is currently in distress, immediately contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (call, text or chat) or (800) 273-TALK (8255) to be routed to the local Lifeline network crisis center (based on the caller’s area code).  

For non-crisis emotional and coping support, please call the NAMI Lexington WarmLine at (877) 840-5167 (Monday-Friday 1-4 p.m. and Monday-Saturday 5-9 p.m.). 

Looking for additional resources?
You can also request a live, virtual or in-person QPR training for your team or department with Ann M. Bassoni, LCSW. Click here to request a session.

Other mental health resources available through UK Human Resources include:

• Counseling with a therapist
• LiveHealth Online mental telehealth
• Go to the HR Mental Health web page for all resources.​

DISCLAIMER: QPR is not intended to be a form of counseling or treatment.