The Power of QPR Training: How Three Simple Steps Can Save Lives

Proper education is a vital key to conquering the mental health crisis we have in the United States. Educating individuals on how to identify the signs of a mental health crisis increases the likelihood of a positive treatment outcome. At Hearts 4 Minds, our mission is to break the stigma of mental illness and improve the care and wellbeing for those who are seeking it out. We offer many resources and tools to access care, one being our QPR Suicide Prevention Training sessions. This training, combined with our H4M Connect resource, can save lives. Learn more about this important training and how you and your business or school can benefit from it.

What is the QPR Suicide Prevention Training?

Hearts 4 Minds offers the QPR Suicide Prevention Training sessions for any group high school aged and above. These sessions are led by a trained member of our team and include information about mental illness, including how to spot the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideations, and provides real tips and tools on how to start a conversation with someone at risk. These interactive sessions are usually between 60-90 minutes long and provide scenarios to allow participants to actively walk through these real-life scenarios. The training features break-out sessions, allowing training participants to put their new knowledge to the test.

What does QPR stand for?

QPR, or Question, Persuade, and Refer, are the three components to this program.

• Question: This teaches participants different methods to start conversations with a friend or family member who may be at risk and engage them in a non-judgmental and engaging conversation. Our training sessions provide guidelines on how to foster an open environment and various ways to encourage an at-risk individual to reach out for help.

• Persuade: In the training, we discuss ways to help persuade an individual to seek help. Through examples, we show options such as “let me take you to get help now” to “let me help you find help” to “promise me to get help.” We discuss multiple tactics on how to positively persuade at risk individuals to seek help.

• Refer: The final step in our training helps to close the loop in ensuring that at risk people have the proper resources to get help. We discuss real options!

Who are the sessions for and how many people do I need in my group?

Due to the heaviness of the subject matter the QPR Suicide Prevention Training sessions are geared toward those of high school age and older. We have found that high school participants in particular often recognize the more subtle signs of mental health struggles due to their daily interactions with their classmates and through social media usage.

These sessions are designed for a minimum of 10 participants with a maximum of 35 (larger groups can hold multiple sessions) to allow participants to actively engage in the training materials. We have conducted over 10 sessions to schools, coaches, and local businesses in and around Jacksonville, FL. We have held sessions with the Jacksonville Jaguars staff, Edward Waters University, and Bono’s BBQ restaurant staff and the training location is flexible.

Not a group of 10? No problem, we often add additional trainings and can notify you when a session is available for you to join.

How can I schedule a session?

If you are interested in scheduling a session, you can fill out our interest form at the bottom of this page. We are eager to spread our mission and provide opportunities to educate individuals on the QPR method to save lives.

At Hearts 4 Minds, we are committed to breaking down the walls of mental health struggles. We know how important it is to educate and empower people by recognizing the signs of mental health struggles and how to reach out to those in need of help. Our QPR Suicide Prevention Training is designed to give groups the proper tools in order to prevent another tragedy from happening.

If you would like to help support us in further spreading our mission, schedule a QPR training session now. You can also explore our volunteer opportunities, wear our merchandise, and donate to Hearts 4 Minds.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, Text LIFE to 741741. Trained therapists are available 24/7 to assist. You are not alone!