ASIST training in Ireland - National Office for Suicide Prevention

ASISTAsking AboutSuicide:ASIST training inIrelandNational ForumNational Office for Suicide PreventionMarch 22, 2007Anne Callanan

Issues Around SuicideASIST• Ambivalence• Express ideas and plan• Fear of asking the question• How can we support suicideprevention by consideringthese issues?

ASIST TrainingASIST• Two-day intensive, interactiveworkshop in suicide first-aid• Designed to help all caregiversbecome:– More ready– More willing– More able to help persons at risk

Aim of ASISTASISTTo enhance acaregiver’s abilitiesto assist a person atrisk to avoid suicide

PreparingSets the tone, normsand expectations oftrainingASISTComponents of ASIST

ASISTConnectingRecognise thatcaregivers and personsat risk are affected bypersonal and societalattitudes about suicide.

ASISTUnderstandingOverview theintervention needs ofthe person at risk.Identify risk alerts anddevelop safeplansrelated to them.

ASISTAssistingPresents a model foreffective suicideprevention.Equipped with skills tointervene with a personat risk of suicide.

ASISTNetworkingGenerates informationabout local resourcesavailable to person atrisk, includingthemselves

•PREVENTION•Important but unlikely to preventall people from having thoughtsof suicide • INTERVENTION• Suicide First-Aid toprevent• the risk of suicidalbehaviorASIST• POSTVENTION• For those who injurethemselves• and those who areaffected

Structure of the SuicideASISTIntervention Model• Connectinginvitations?suicide?• Understandingexploreaskreasons?risk?listenreview• Assistingsafeplan?commitments?contractfollow-up• Connecting Invitations – exploreSuicide? – ask• Understanding Reasons? – askRisk? – Review• Assisting Safeplan? – contractCommitments? – follow-up

Who is it for?ASIST• Health professionals• Mental health professionals• Educators• Community gatekeepers• Youth workers• Parents• Clergy• Gardaí• Community volunteers• Excluded– Recently bereaved– Emotionally vulnerable– Under 18s– No previous experience with mental health training

ASIST in IrelandASIST• June 07: 4 th T4T• Approx. 100 trainers in 12local coordinating sites• National network• Team of Consulting Trainers• c.5000 participants

Trainers’ AgenciesASIST– HSE– Aware– Console– Living Links– Mental Health Ireland– National Assoc. for the Deaf– National Youth Health Programme– North Inner City Drugs Task Force /Saol– RehabCare– Schizophrenia Ireland– St Angela’s College, Sligo

ParticipantsASIST• Nurses• Gardaí• Teachers• Social workers• Psychologists• Psychotherapists• Addiction counsellors• Psychiatrists• Coast guards• CIC workers• Parents• County council staff• Clergy• Probation officers• Communitydevelopment workers• Doctors• Juvenile liaisonofficers• Outreach workers• Vets• Holistic therapists…and more

OrganisationsASIST• Asylum seekersservices• Travellers groups• Youth organisations• National LearningNetwork• Universities, agriculturalcolleges• Justice: Probationservice, GardaSiochana, defenceforces• Community• Irish Advocacy Network• GAA• Brothers of Charity andother• Bereavement services• GLEN• Mental health voluntaryagencies• AIDS Alliance• Domestic violenceagencies• Alcohol abuse services• Homeless organisations• Order of Malta• ICA• Macra• Rape Crisis Centre…and more

1. Coordination of Workshops– Multi-organisational– Multidisciplinary– Pre-informed of content anddelivery– Personal readiness ofparticipantsASISTSustaining Benefits into Future

2. Support for Trainers– Coordinator– Debriefing– National network of trainers– Consulting trainers– Supervision– Maximum no. of workshops peryearASISTSustaining Benefits into Future

3. Support for Participants– Trainers– Local network from participantgroup– CounsellingASISTSustaining Benefits into Future

4. National Network– Annual meetings• Address specific aspects ofworkshop• Discuss experiences of being atrainer– Share trainers across sites– Consulting trainers• Individual and group supportASISTSustaining Benefits into Future

General AwarenessCommunity GatekeeperSafeTALKASISTGeneral populationInterest in suicide issuesInterested in askingabout suicideCaregivers seekingintervention skillsASIST Where Does ASIST Fit?STORMFront line workersNational Training Programme for Suicide Prevention

Role of NOSPASIST• National coordinators– National planning e.g. T4T– National network– Liase with coordinators• Support coordinators– Guidelines for coordination– Financial aid• Collation and dissemination ofinformation

Find out moreASIST• www.livingworkseducation.com– Information on programme andother training• www.nosp.ie– List of regional coordinators