Despite all the shifts and barriers brought about by COVID-19, Vet to Vet Tennessee consistently provided support to the East Tennessee Region Veterans. Recently, VTVT’s Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Master Instructor Ed Junod conducted the first in-person QPR Instructor training of 2021. QPR Institute through Brian Quinnett provided us with the first 2021 updates to the presentation slides. We trained six QPR Instructors that are now qualified to educate the East Region on signs and symptoms of suicide, different techniques to asking about suicide, and referring to local resources. VTVT generously donated five scholarships (valued at $500) to various organizations for trainings. We also provided a continental breakfast and catered lunch. Finally, we presented each graduate with an Instructor certificate, VTVT challenge coin, and “Worth It” t-shirt. VTVT in partnership with Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) are focused on blanketing the East Region in suicide prevention trainings.
Ed Junod also trained the new East Regional Director of TSPN Emily Hager, PhD as a QPR Master Instructor, where she will now be able to also certify QPR Instructors. TSPN is striving to train 1600 QPR Gatekeepers in the year 2021, and VTVT has always been a major contributor to meeting these goals in past years. These new QPR Instructors are prepared to partner with VTVT and TSPN in making the East Region a more suicide alert community.
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