Community Skills Training
Learn More About How to Help in a Crisis
Lines for Life offers various training types to help community members, educators, providers, and others recognize and address signs of crisis in their communities and roles. Basic knowledge and skills are important for everyone to have – you never know when you might need to help someone who is struggling.
Training for Individuals and Groups
Looking for an upcoming training for yourself? Interested in organizing a group training series for your staff, organization, or community members you serve? Please fill out the Training Interest Form.
Browse below to see the current list of trainings* we can offer.
*All our trainings can provide Continuing Education Units if needed.
QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer (English + Español)
Length: 90 Minutes
Format: In-Person, Virtual
QPR is an evidence-based suicide prevention curriculum that teaches individuals to recognize someone at risk, intervene with confidence and competence, and refer them to the appropriate source to receive the help they need.
BSBB SP: Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Suicide Prevention
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
The Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Suicide Prevention training infuses culture and diversity throughout a foundational workshop on suicide prevention. This workshop teaches community members to act as eyes and ears for suicidal distress and to connect individuals to help.
Participants will learn to:
- Identify signs of suicide
- Be sensitive and brave in helping others
- Ask if someone is considering suicide sensitively and confidently
- Connect individuals with the appropriate support
- Approach suicide prevention in a culturally sensitive manner
BSBB MH: Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Mental Health
Length: 3 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtuall
The Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Mental Health training infuses culture and diversity throughout a foundational workshop on mental health and mental health conditions. This workshop prepares community members to help friends and loved ones of all ages during times of mental health distress.
Participants will learn to:
- Identify when you or others are in mental distress
- Be sensitive and brave in helping others
- Increase awareness of mental health resources
- Prevent mental health conditions by using a recipe for mental wellness
- Build cultural sensitivity around mental health conditions
- Increase community responsiveness and decrease stigma
Personal and Professional Wellness
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
In this training, we look at how to protect our own well-being when working in person-centered professions. Participants will evaluate their self-care routines and professional spaces, work collaboratively on how to build out personal protective factors, and discuss
potential challenges such as burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. We focus on building community and a supportive environment to stay grounded in the important work we do.
Cultural Humility
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
We will dive into what cultural humility means, the historical context and inequities present in our work, and how we can recognize our own culture. This training looks at how culture can be a protective factor for mental health and suicide prevention, as well as provides opportunities to safely challenge assumptions, connect with others, and lead with curiosity as we grow in our ability to support people from different cultures than our own.
Crisis De-Escalation: Regulate, Relate & Reason
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
Learn more about de-escalation and how to support someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Content covers signs of crisis, de-escalation skills, and approaching de-escalation from a bio-psycho-social and relational model.
Motivational Interviewing Skills in Suicide Prevention
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
This training gives an introduction and overview of the Stages of Change as well as the skills used in Motivational Interviewing to support those who may be in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide. There is time set aside for collaborative skills practice and discussion.
Assessing for Suicidal Ideation
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
Participants will learn how to conduct a thorough safety assessment to understand an individual’s risk for suicide. This training supports collaborative learning and provides opportunities to practice asking assessment questions and engage in discussion around common challenges and fears when assessing for safety.
Beyond the Contract: Effective Safety Planning for Suicide Intervention
Length: 2 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
Learn step-by-step the process of making a safety plan that is individualized, realistic, and strengths based. Gain knowledge on how a thorough assessment lends itself to quality safety planning and how to integrate these skills into your own professional or personal capacity.
Suicide Intervention Overview
Length: 3 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
This training helps explore one’s perspective on suicide, bias/myths, and internalized stigma – and how to provide support and intervention for someone struggling with suicide. Participants will come away from this training understanding suicidal thoughts and behavior, who is at risk for suicide, and the barriers to assessing for safety. Using Robert’s Seven Stage Crisis Intervention Model, participants will gain tools for engagement and crisis response.
MHFA: Mental Health First Aid (English + Español)
Length: 8 hours
Format: In-Person or Virtual
This interactive eight-hour community education program teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to indicators of mental illness and substance abuse. Mental Health First Aid participants will challenge conventional stereotypes regarding mental illness, reframing myths into positive action and compassionate understanding.
This course simulates a variety of different mental health crises an individual may encounter. Through sample role-play scenarios and interactive dialogue, participants will learn how to approach and support someone experiencing a mental health crisis.
Participants will learn to implement a five-step action plan called ALGEE:
- Assess for risk of suicide or harm
- Listen non-judgmentally
- Give reassurance and information
- Encourage appropriate professional help
- Encourage self-help and other support strategies
MCASP: Military Culture Awareness & Suicide Prevention
Length: 8 hours
Format: Virtual
Learn about Veteran and Military-specific language and other cultural cues necessary to bridge the gap between providers and Veterans who seek care. Gain access to specific suicide prevention and intervention assessments and in-depth knowledge and skills to improve your familiarity with Veteran, service members, and military family needs around mental health and suicide.
ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
Length: 16 hours over 2 days
Format: In-Person
This two-day intensive, interactive workshop provides participants with the skills and practice to assist in suicide intervention. The class is composed of lectures, small group discussions, and interactive exercises. ASIST also includes demonstrations and role-playing of common suicide intervention situations, allowing participants to practice their newly learned suicide intervention skills in a supportive environment.
The techniques and skills you’ll gain through ASIST transcend cultural and international barriers. With over one million participants worldwide, graduates feel ready and confident to help others after completing ASIST training.
Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be prepared to:
- Recognize invitations for help
- Reach out and offer support
- Assess risk of suicide
- Apply evidence-based suicide intervention model
- Link people with community resources
- Learn more about ASIST