Educational Opportunities

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County offers no-cost community education in a variety of depths when learning about how to recognize and talk with someone who is having thoughts of suicide. Training is often provided at the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service Business Office in downtown Ithaca, or the training can be brought to you and your organization across New York State. All trainings and workshops can be tailored to your audience in a supportive and meaningful way. Please reach out to Tiffany at blosst@ithacacrisis.org if interested in attending or hosting a training.

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County and the 988 Lifeline is a general overview of suicide statistics, the impact of the 988 Lifeline, basic skills to recognize thoughts of suicide, and a review of the services provided by our organization and the impact we have on supporting suicide-safer communities.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Anyone 16 or older can learn and use the ASIST model.

safeTALK

safeTALK is a half-day training program that teaches participants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide and to connect them with community resources trained in suicide intervention.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Reducing access to lethal means, such as firearms and medication, can determine whether a person at risk for suicide lives or dies. This course is about how to reduce access to the methods people use to kill themselves. It covers who needs lethal means counseling and how to work with people at risk for suicide – and their families – to reduce access. While this course is primarily designed for mental health professionals, others who work with people at risk for suicide, such as health care providers and social service professionals, may also benefit.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is a concise suicide prevention training in which participants learn how to recognize the signs of mental distress, ask simple and direct questions, and help those in need to access local resources

Active Listening Skills Training

Active Listening Skills Training can be tailored to a multitude of audiences and the time duration can be modified for particular needs. It is not only a very effective form of communication, it also alleviates some of the isolation, loneliness, low self-esteem and feeling that nobody cares that often accompanies bouts of depression. Active listening tells a person in crisis that what they are feeling is important and, by association, that they are deserving of our time and attention.

Talk Saves Lives

Talk Saves Lives is an education program that provides participants with an introduction to suicide prevention. Participants leave with a clear understanding of suicide as a leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention, and what they can do in their communities to save lives

Safe Zone

Safe Zone is a program designed to create a network of visible allies to people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. This training provides information and resources related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and vocabulary.

It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health

It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health is intended for high school classes or community settings with groups of teens, ages from 14 to 18. This program provides young people with mental health education and resources. It raises awareness about mental health issues, how to start a conversation about mental health, the importance of self-care, and how to reach out for help.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a full day public education program that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis; select interventions and provide initial help; and connect young people to professional, peer, social, and self-help care.

Suicide Safety for Teachers & School Staff

Suicide Safety for Teachers & School Staff is designed to meet the basic needs of school administration, faculty, and staff. Emphasis is on recognizing warning signs, clarifying the referral process in place at school, and making a warm handoff.

Helping Students at Risk for Suicide

Helping Students at Risk for Suicide incorporates the process of assessing, intervening, safety planning, and following up when there is concern that a student may be at-risk for suicide. This training is suitable for school-based health, mental health, pupil services, school safety professionals, administrators, special education, and pupil services administrators. The goals are two-fold: 1) to improve the competence and confidence of school-based professionals to intervene when suicide risk is identified, and 2) to assist school leaders with developing standardized policies and procedures to support best practices in suicide intervention.

Creating Suicide Safety in Schools (CSSS)

Creating Suicide Safety in Schools (CSSS) is a one-day workshop designed for school-based interdisciplinary teams, empowering them to establish realistic short-term plans for effective suicide prevention and response planning. School personnel who attend will be able to: 1. Review, refine, and implement school-based suicide prevention, intervention and postvention activities. 2. Create a school-specific comprehensive suicide prevention and response plan. 3. Assess suicide program and training needs. 4. Access available local and national resources for school-based suicide prevention.

Contact us today

Contact us today to learn more about our available trainings or to register to attend an upcoming training. Please reach out to Tiffany if interested in attending or hosting a training.

Training Participant Testimonials

See what others who have participated in a training hosted by Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service have to say about their experience.

David Sanchez

The workshop was done very well. I loved how interactive it was. Great job!

Emily R willy

I really appreciated the openness of this training. It provided a really safe and comfortable space to talk about such a heavy topic. All the trainers were so knowledgeable and confident. Overall incredible experience! Thank you.

John Diggle

I was trained in suicide assessment as a social worker, but did not feel confident to provide intervention. This workshop made that process feel doable and I know feel I have more tools to actually support someone once we have established they are suicidal. I felt Tiffany in particular made this training less scary and I hope the trainers know how much we appreciate their work!

Sarah L

Before training, I was uncomfortable with confronting the idea of suicide. I feel more confident and prepared.

Herry walls

This was such a great training. As someone who has lost many loved ones to suicide, I only wish this was something they had known about. I hope that I can help someone’s family member/friend find their turning point and choose to live.

Dayana De

I felt honored to be in the room with Sam and Tiffany. I personally really connected with Tiffany’s presence, the knowledge and wisdom she has is so valuable and I loved getting to know more about her too – thank you for sharing. Presentation skills were awesome!