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LifeSpan is an evidence-based approach to integrated suicide prevention in Australia. It combines nine strategies that have strong evidence for suicide prevention into one community-led approach incorporating health, education, frontline services, business and the community.

LifeSpan has been implemented by ACT Health, in partnership with the Black Dog Institute and supported by Capital Health Network.

LifeSpan is about working together, implementing proven approaches to suicide prevention, and helping people in the local community to be better informed and connected.

LifeSpan has been developed by the Black Dog Institute in partnership with clinicians, researchers, community groups and people with lived experience of suicide. It is funded by the ACT Government, with support from the Capital Health Network, and is being trialled in the ACT for an initial period of three years. We aim to build long-term sustainability into the program, to set up a strong foundation for local community action to prevent suicide.

We encourage you to get involved and support this initiative. We all have a role to play, including looking after ourselves and supporting each other, but it is only by working together that we can prevent suicide.

Anyone in the community can get involved and support this initiative. There are many ways that you can contribute including by undertaking suicide prevention training and familiarising yourself with the services and supports available in the community, so you can help others.

To find out how you can make a difference, please contact the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing at: OfficeforMHW@act.gov.au

 

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Information About Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

What Is Question, Persuade, Refer?

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is a suicide prevention intervention that teaches lay and professional gatekeepers to recognise and respond positively to someone exhibiting suicide warning signs and behaviours. QPR training is designed to detect persons who are in the thinking or ideational phase of a suicide plan. QPR training may also enable natural helpers to identify people at risk who have already made one or more non-lethal attempts.

While informative for mental health professionals, the course and content is specifically targeted at audiences with no assumed knowledge of mental health or suicide prevention and aims to provide them with the skills to connect someone at risk with professional support.

QPR online takes approximately 60 mins to complete and can be completed over multiple sessions. In addition, an individual who has finished QPR can continue to access the program for 3 years to refresh their skills and knowledge.

As part of LifeSpan, Black Dog Institute have worked with QPR Institute to tailor the USA training for Australian audiences with amendments made to language, statistics, and adding Australian support service information. The Australian version of QPR is currently only available through the Black Dog Institute.

Sign up to complete QPR online.

Course Content

The following content is delivered through a mixture of videos, written content and quizzes:

  • Review of common myths and misconceptions about suicide
  • Warning signs of suicide
  • How to ask someone whether they are experiencing suicidal ideation
  • How to persuade someone to stay alive
  • How to refer individuals to appropriate professional help

A printable QPR booklet which has been clinically reviewed by the Black Dog Institute is also made available to trainees to download, providing more detailed reference materials and guidance.

Benefits of Training

QPR has been evaluated in a variety of settings including schools, universities, as well as with clinical and non-clinical staff. Undertaking the training has led to participants having increased knowledge about suicide, improved intention to intervene, and higher confidence in helping someone identified as being suicidal. In addition to the supporting evidence-base, a significant benefit of QPR is its brevity, low cost, and accessibility 

Page last updated on: 4 Jan 2022