Blount County Center sponsors suicide prevention workshop

Pellissippi State and the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee are teaming up to combat a suicide rate that has risen an alarming 54 percent over the last three years in Blount County.

A suicide prevention workshop featuring the nationally recognized technique of QPR—question, persuade and refer—will be presented from 7 to 8:30 p.m. December 3 at Blount County Center.

Stacy Hicks, program coordinator of the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee and a certified QPR instructor, will lead the workshop. In addition to discussing the local and national problem of suicide, common myths, facts, and ways to spot warning signs, she will also provide tips for asking the suicide question, methods for persuading suicidal individuals to get help, and ways of referring at-risk people to local resources. A question-and-answer session will also be included.

The workshop is free, but those interested in attending should reserve a space by calling the Blount County Center at 981-5300 by November 30.

"Inside Pellissippi" is a bi-monthly electronic publication produced by the Community Relations Office for the faculty and staff of Pellissippi State Technical Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, Tennessee 37933-0990. All suggestions and comments should be sent to Julia Wood (jwood@pstcc.edu).

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