Submitted by Carri Gerber, gerber.140@osu.edu
Suicide prevention is a shared campus responsibility. Anyone can help prevent suicide by learning the risks, warning signs, and how to intervene. REACH© is the name of the OSU suicide prevention in-persongatekeeper training program designed to help the OSU community prevent suicide by teaching faculty, staff, and students how to:
Recognize warning signs
Engage with empathy
Ask directly about suicide
Communicate hope
Help suicidal individuals access care and treatment
Join us for an in-person REACH© Training on the Wooster Campus before classes start. Graduate students, Staff, and Faculty are welcome to attend.
CFAES Wooster Campus REACH© Training
August 16
10:00 am to 11:30 am
Shisler Ballroom
Facilitator – David Wirt, CFAES Embedded Clinical Therapist
Please RSVP at: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bC2OpvJQ8YRlO98
Further details will be sent to participants closer to the event.
REACH© suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings are intended to provide general information about how to identify suicide risk and how to respond to any OSU student, staff, or faculty member who may be experiencing distress. REACH© is not a clinical mental health training; it does not teach suicide assessment or intervention strategies, nor is it a comprehensive training on suicide risk. Rather, it is designed to empower anyone to learn these skills, and especially individuals who are not licensed mental health professionals. The 90-minute training experience aims to increase knowledge and awareness of suicide risk and to inform attendees of our campus community resources. REACH© is aligned with national standards, best practices, and recommendations for suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings. As such, the training contains suicide statistics, stories surrounding suicide, and interactive role plays to help attendees better understand and engage with the material.
Important Note: While we believe in the effectiveness of anyone attending a REACH© Training, we also recognize that it contains complex and sensitive material. As a result, it is possible that participants could experience a variety of mental and emotional reactions. This should be taken into consideration before attending a training. As a general best practice for the well-being of our Buckeye community, OSUSPP does not recommend that students, staff, or faculty mandate REACH© Training attendance.