Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day workshop for individuals who want to feel more comfortable, confident, and competent in helping to pre-vent the immediate risk of suicide. Participants are given an introduction to suicide, become familiar with a unique suicide intervention model, and learn how to implement the model in real-life situations, by connecting with the individual at risk of suicide, understanding his or her situation mindset, and assist him or her to get immediate help. The workshop includes videos as well as active roleplaying of scenarios for all participants.
Twenty-one ASIST trainings were offered from January 14, 2013 through March 10, 2014, attended by 421 individuals. While participants included residents from Kings, Tulare, and other counties, three workshops were offered in Kings County and the remaining 18 in Tulare County. One was specifically focused on veterans, one had personnel from Lemoore Naval Air Station as most of its participants, one was held at Tulare County Child Welfare Services, and three were held at a facility of the Tulare County Office of Education’s (TCOE) Behavioral Health division and included only TCOE staff as participants.
This report is an evaluation of these efforts.