“48,000 deaths annually are attributed to suicide,” Danielle Steward, employee at Washington County’s Health Equity Zone, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, stated.The QPR suicide prevention training on was held on Monday, September 13, at Island Free Library, on Block Island. QPR is a free, 75-minute, evidence-based suicide prevention training that is open to anyone on the island. According to Steward, QPR is only one part of the seven elements of the Zero Suicide Initiative, which is a foundation for health and behavioral health care systems. QPR stands for question, persuade, and refer.Steward joined the training team in July of 2019. After providing training to staff at South County Health, WellOne, and South County Medical Group, Steward was inspired by Dr. Rob Harrison to come out to Block Island.
Having experience in providing training during the pandemic, Steward discussed how she was able to continue the meetings virtually.“After the Pandemic started we had a bit of a lull in QPR training, but shortly started them up again via Zoom. This was great in that we felt like we could reach some people during some of their loneliest times,” Steward explained.
Steward started off with a hard-hitting introduction of facts on
