North Reading CIT Offers Free Suicide Prevention

The North Reading Community Impact Team has partnered with Samaritans to offer a free workshop for those that care for people at risk of suicide on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Flint Memorial Library. “How to Support Those at Risk” will be presented by Lauren Gablinske, M.Ed., Director of Community Education and Outreach at Samaritans. Samaritans is an organization that specializes in suicide awareness and prevention; its mission is to reduce the risk of suicide by alleviating despair, isolation, distress, and suicidal feelings. Samaritans provides a number of services including 24/7 crisis management, grief support, and community outreach and education.

This free workshop is for adults who care for or support those considered at high -risk for suicide. Examples include at-risk youth, at-risk adults and elders. This training introduces Samaritans’ services and 24/7 helpline as an important free prevention resource, aims to destigmatize mental health, and focus on recognizing risk factors and warning signs of someone at risk for suicide. Additionally, it aids in the effort to empathize and respond to an individual in crisis, followed by basic steps in getting a suicidal person help.

The presentation will be followed by an open question and answer session hosted by Gablinske and the North Reading’s new Mental Health/Substance Abuse Clinician Laura Miranda, LMHC. “We’re excited to bring this workshop free of charge to our local residents and community members,” Miranda commented. “It’s a sensitive, informative and supportive workshop that we hope will be successful in helping even one person. The impact of the training goes beyond those trained.”

To register, please visit www.northreadingma.gov/CIT and click on EVENTS. With question, please contact Laura Miranda at lmiranda@nrpd.org or call (978)357-5038.