|
Special training opportunity for community members currently enrolled in the PTC CERT class
|
|
AFM extends to all community members currently enrolled in the PTC CERT class the opportunity to particiapte in Listen Learn Lead (L3) Suicide Intervention Training.
As a member of the current CERT class AFM will offer this training free of charge. Our goal is to offer it prior to the conclusion of our time together in CERT class; perhaps on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. In order to conduct the class we will need a miniumum of 12 participants. If you would be interested in participating please email me and let me know along with dates that work best for you. We will choose a date that allows for the greatest participation. Email Ken |
from a recent Facebook post. Follow AFM on Facebook
The Real First Responder – It’s Not Who You Think
In crisis situations, be it natural disaster, auto accident, heart attack, potential suicide or any other crisis; we naturally assume first responders are the people who show up in uniform. However, the reality is the EMTs and law enforcement should be considered the second responders. MDs and professional counselors would then be considered the third responders. This is the very idea established by FEMA in the training of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
CERT members are trained to help individuals and communities in crisis because emergency personnel cannot be immediately available. The same holds true in the training of individuals to conduct suicide intervention. In many cases the real first responder is the mother who is aware of the signs in her teenager, or the coach that notices changes in a team member. In short, the real first responder in suicide intervention is the one who has been trained in the skills that save lives, regardless of their calling or profession. In my work with law enforcement I can attest to the fact that they concur with this very idea and welcome the opportunity of training individuals to be good community first responders.
At Armed Forces Mission (AFM) a primary focus is the training of individuals from all walks of life that can help others at risk of suicide. The skills gained in our one and two-day workshops provide participants with various first-aid models that can help an individual at risk just as CPR can help a person having a heart attack. Think of it this way, CPR does not make one a surgeon; nor does it grant a license to diagnose that an individual is having a heart attack. CPR is simply a tool that can be used by a non-professional to recognize the signs of heart attack and render aid until further help is available. Likewise, taking a one or two-day workshop in suicide intervention is intended to give individuals the skills needed to recognize when a person is at risk and the steps that can be taken to save the life of the individual at risk in a crisis situation. An important component of our training includes awareness of other community resources which are often needed as follow up. Such follow up may include calling the professional first responder (911 or a crisis hotline) or assisting the person in making an appointment to see their MD and/or a professional counselor. Every year thousands of lives are saved because an ordinary citizen was willing to courageously intervene in a time of crisis; many times when every moment counts. At AFM we call such individuals Intervention Advocates.
An advocate is defined as “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.” At AFM our cause is the reduction of suicide and our policy is that we will train all we can to do what they can to save lives. We don’t grant a license and we don’t certify individuals as “professional” interventionist. We simply train individuals to be part of the network of a caring community of thousands who want to make a difference for those who are hurting. Building a culture of mental health within a community takes the efforts of all working together.
Occasionally the question is asked, “What is my responsibility as a non-professional?” Most often this question comes from those who see the signs, but are not sure what to do; or from those who think that we are attempting to provide services that should be left to the mental health professional. Other times the question is raised by those who are concerned about liability – “What if I try to help and a suicide occurs?” In either case we recommend taking our workshops to gain a better understanding of the principles that govern suicide intervention.
Concerning the question of liability, within the state of Georgia we have the Good Samaritan Act which protects individuals who in good faith render aid to help others. On the other hand, we should also have an understanding that within tort law there is a concept known as “the duty to rescue.” While it is rare that an individual is ever penalized for “failure to render aid”, it is our hope at AFM that there still exists within the moral fabric of our society the idea of helping others when it is within our ability to do so. To that end we press on in the training of all that are willing to learn for the purpose of reducing suicides throughout our community and other communities that are seeking to turn the tide on suicide.
The Real First Responder – It’s Not Who You Think
In crisis situations, be it natural disaster, auto accident, heart attack, potential suicide or any other crisis; we naturally assume first responders are the people who show up in uniform. However, the reality is the EMTs and law enforcement should be considered the second responders. MDs and professional counselors would then be considered the third responders. This is the very idea established by FEMA in the training of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
CERT members are trained to help individuals and communities in crisis because emergency personnel cannot be immediately available. The same holds true in the training of individuals to conduct suicide intervention. In many cases the real first responder is the mother who is aware of the signs in her teenager, or the coach that notices changes in a team member. In short, the real first responder in suicide intervention is the one who has been trained in the skills that save lives, regardless of their calling or profession. In my work with law enforcement I can attest to the fact that they concur with this very idea and welcome the opportunity of training individuals to be good community first responders.
At Armed Forces Mission (AFM) a primary focus is the training of individuals from all walks of life that can help others at risk of suicide. The skills gained in our one and two-day workshops provide participants with various first-aid models that can help an individual at risk just as CPR can help a person having a heart attack. Think of it this way, CPR does not make one a surgeon; nor does it grant a license to diagnose that an individual is having a heart attack. CPR is simply a tool that can be used by a non-professional to recognize the signs of heart attack and render aid until further help is available. Likewise, taking a one or two-day workshop in suicide intervention is intended to give individuals the skills needed to recognize when a person is at risk and the steps that can be taken to save the life of the individual at risk in a crisis situation. An important component of our training includes awareness of other community resources which are often needed as follow up. Such follow up may include calling the professional first responder (911 or a crisis hotline) or assisting the person in making an appointment to see their MD and/or a professional counselor. Every year thousands of lives are saved because an ordinary citizen was willing to courageously intervene in a time of crisis; many times when every moment counts. At AFM we call such individuals Intervention Advocates.
An advocate is defined as “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.” At AFM our cause is the reduction of suicide and our policy is that we will train all we can to do what they can to save lives. We don’t grant a license and we don’t certify individuals as “professional” interventionist. We simply train individuals to be part of the network of a caring community of thousands who want to make a difference for those who are hurting. Building a culture of mental health within a community takes the efforts of all working together.
Occasionally the question is asked, “What is my responsibility as a non-professional?” Most often this question comes from those who see the signs, but are not sure what to do; or from those who think that we are attempting to provide services that should be left to the mental health professional. Other times the question is raised by those who are concerned about liability – “What if I try to help and a suicide occurs?” In either case we recommend taking our workshops to gain a better understanding of the principles that govern suicide intervention.
Concerning the question of liability, within the state of Georgia we have the Good Samaritan Act which protects individuals who in good faith render aid to help others. On the other hand, we should also have an understanding that within tort law there is a concept known as “the duty to rescue.” While it is rare that an individual is ever penalized for “failure to render aid”, it is our hope at AFM that there still exists within the moral fabric of our society the idea of helping others when it is within our ability to do so. To that end we press on in the training of all that are willing to learn for the purpose of reducing suicides throughout our community and other communities that are seeking to turn the tide on suicide.
