UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — QPR stands for question, persuade and refer — the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. All are welcome to register for a free QPR training, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, in 233A HUB-Robeson Center at University Park. The training, led by the Jana Marie Foundation, is sponsored by Penn State’s Gender Equity Center, a unit of Student Affairs

Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help. Key components covered in the training include:

• How to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal.
• How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide.
• The common causes of suicidal behavior.
• The warning signs of suicide.
• How to get help for someone in crisis.

“We partnered with the Jana Marie Foundation at least twice last academic year to offer QPR trainings, and both sessions were incredibly popular and also powerful,” said Jennifer Pencek, programming coordinator of the Gender Equity Center. “Taking advantage of trainings like QPR is so important so we can educate ourselves and also help people take positive steps in their own journeys.”

The Jana Marie Foundation envisions communities working together to knock down walls and transform emotional distress into resilience and hope. Through the power of dialogue and creative expression, people spark conversations, build connections, and promote mental well-being among young people and their communities.

Register for the Sept. 16 QPR training at https://janamariefoundation.org/qpr-registration. Learn more about the Jana Marie Foundation at janamariefoundation.org/.