Marshall Public Library hosts suicide prevention display

The Marshall Public Library is teaming up with Community Suicide Prevention and Southeastern Idaho Public Health for a display on a difficult subject.

During September and October, the groups will have an exhibit on suicide prevention on the 2nd floor of the library.

The display will feature information about suicide as well as outline the five action steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide.

“Suicide is highly preventable and help is available,” said Rhonda D’Amico, Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator with Southeastern Idaho Public Health. “In fact, 90 percent of people who have made a past suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide.”

You will have the opportunity to sign-up for Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training offered by Southeastern Idaho Public Health. Through QPR Training, attendees are taught to “question a person’s meaning to determine suicide intent or desire, persuade the person to accept or seek help, and refer the person to appropriate resources.”

The training will be held at the library in early October and for more information on QPR training, visit HERE.

“As more people are trained to recognize and appropriately respond to someone experiencing thoughts of suicide, community resilience grows,” D’Amico said.

A portion of the display will also allow you to honor loved ones lost to suicide. In 2016, Idaho lost 350 people to suicide, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

The display will be stationed at the library through October 31.

If you, or someone you know, is in crisis or emotional distress, please call the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline at 208-398-4357. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Text support is available Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to midnight.