Classes Will Combat Suicide, Overdoses In West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The local community is hosting multiple training sessions to help people save lives for those contemplating suicide or suffering from an opioid overdose.

The free sessions, which start Wednesday, Sept. 7, are in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, which is Sept 10.

The training sessions are:

• Wednesday, Sept. 7, from noon to 2 p.m. at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St.

• Thursday, Sept. 8, 6 to 8 p.m. at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St.

• Thursday, Sept. 15, 5 to 7 p.m. at Elmwood Community Center, 1106 New Britain Ave.

The Town of West Hartford and the West Hartford Prevention Partnership are hosting the free training on "QPR gatekeeper suicide prevention" and Narcan administration.

QPR is an acronym for "question, persuade and refer" and suicide prevention training includes:

• How to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal.

• How to recognize the warning signs of suicide.

•How to get help for someone in a crisis.

Narcan (naloxon) administration is a means to deliver an andidote to someone suffering from an opioid overdose and its training includes:

• Overdose prevention and symptoms of opioid overdose.

• How to administer Narcan.

• Understanding the Good Samaritan Law.

• Receiving a Narcan kit with one box of naloxone (Narcan) with two doses (nasal spray).

• Where to find information and resources.

For more information, contact West Hartford Social Worker Kelly Waterhouse at 860-561-7575 or Kelly.Waterhouse@westhartfordct.gov.

To register for one of the training session dates, visit https://westhartford.seamlessdocs.com/f/laim8lu0ym0n.