Free On-Demand Suicide Prevention Training for Illinois School Personnel

QPR Online Gatekeeper Evidence-based Training

Register for self-paced one-hour course

Anyone can learn to help prevent suicide. It takes just three steps –

1. Question a person about suicide.
2. Persuade a suicidal person to get help.
3. Refer a suicidal person to the appropriate resources.

The QPR Gatekeeper professional development training is intended to prepare schools and district staff to create a welcoming learning environment for students.

Training Overview

This self-paced online training takes about 1 hour to complete.

By the conclusion of the training, participants will understand:

• The common causes of suicidal behavior
• The warning signs of suicide
• How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be suicidal
• How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
• How to get help for someone in crisis

A recertification course is also available for anyone that has previously completed the QPR Gatekeeper training more than two years ago.  The recertification course includes a review of the core concepts and provides an opportunity to practice QPR in real-world role-play scenarios. The online recertification course meets all requirements to keep your certification active for another two years.

To reinforce training, all self-paced learners receive an enriched program review (an electronic version of the QPR booklet and printable wallet card) immediately after completing training. Recap and review emails are sent out periodically to help the learner keep the QPR training fresh in mind.

For more information about the QPR Online Gatekeeper training, click here. Make sure to register through the links on this page in order to access the training at no cost and receive continuing education credits or professional development units.

With funding from the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is offering the above course to train clinicians on the core competencies to provide safer care. IDPH is pleased to partner with the ECHO-Chicago program at the University of Chicago to host the trainings.

Audience

The training is open to any K-12 school, district, Regional Office of Education or Intermediate Service Center staff in Illinois.

Registration

Make sure to register through the links on this page in order to access the training. Your registration must be received by March 22, 2024. Once you have registered by March 22, 2024, you will be able to complete the one hour training anytime during calendar year 2024.

Cost

Training is offered at no cost to participants.

One Professional Development Hour for Illinois licensed teachers, school support personnel, and administrative staff is available at no cost. 

This training meets the requirements related to training for school personnel about suicide prevention listed in 105 ILCS 5/10-22.39. 

Contact

For questions related to registration, contact Karen Lee at klee64@bsd.uchicago.edu.

For other questions, contact DPH.Safety@illinois.gov

Resources

NATIONAL RESOURCES

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Youth
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Pediatric and Suicide Prevention Experts Partner to Create Blueprint for Preventing Youth Suicide
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Suicide Prevention
• National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention – National Strategy, Juvenile Justice, Sports
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357), TTY: 1-800-487-4889 – Suicide Prevention
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center – Adolescents, Schools, National Organizations and Federal Agencies
• GOV

STATE RESOURCES

• Illinois State Board of Education – Suicide Prevention Guidance and Resources, Illinois Youth Suicide Prevention Toolkit (A Reference for Administrators, Counselors, Teachers, and Staff)
• Crisis and Referral Entry Services (CARES) and Screening, Assessment and Support Services (SASS) – 1-800-345-9049 (Voice), 1-773-523-4504 (TTY) –IDHS, IHFS
• Illinois Warm Line (not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support)
• Safe2Help Illinois – Call 844-4-SAFEIL, Text SAFE2 (72332), email HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)  Customer Help Line: 1-800-843-6154 (Voice) 1-866-324-5553 (TTY) Help is Here: Talk to Someone, School Based Mental Health Database
• Illinois Department of Public Health – Suicide Prevention