SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING CENTER INC

The Suicide Prevention Training Institute provides suicide prevention education that can SAVE LIVES. SPTI provides training to develop advocates for suicide prevention. We educate people to identify the risk factors for suicide and equip them with effective intervention skills. The SPTI is the only 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) to the Tampa Bay community. The populations we focus on have a higher rate of suicidal ideation – first responders, veterans, students, and seniors.

More than 30 peer-reviewed studies have confirmed the efficacy of ASIST, which is recognized by the US Military, CDC, and the SAMSA. The training is longer than most prevention programs, 14 hours versus 1 to 5 hours of other programs, allowing for more skill development, including interactive simulations, which have been found to be successful in suicide first aid training. ASIST focuses on the need to normalize behavioral health and destigmatize people expressing their suicidal thoughts. Trainees learn to recognize when a person is having thoughts of suicide. It teaches how to have a conversation with that person – and make a “life connection”. By teaching how make a life connection, we can encourage that individual to open up, express those feelings, and focus on life. We help them to be open to seeking resources they need to help themselves. Now they see that “I am not fully isolated. There is someone that cares.”

As a non-profit, the SPTI relies heavily on the generosity of donors so that we can provide free/low-cost training opportunities to all. We strive to ensure accessibility to all who want to become advocates for SAVING LIVES.