THUNDER BAY -- The Norwest Community Health Centres are tackling a topic that for some, is too taboo to discuss.
The clinic is partnering with a local group to offer a suicide prevention training program.
The Safe Talk program teaches people how to identify people at risk of suicide, start a conversation, and direct them to the appropriate resources.
Several groups have already gone through Safe Talk, including Northern Ontario School of Medicine students, and Thunder Bay Fire Rescue.
Safe Talk is being run in association with Left Behind By Suicide, a local organization founded by Scott Chisholm.
Chisholm lost his own father to suicide and said he hopes programs like Safe Talk can help remove the stigma around talking about it.
“That’s one thing I want to do is tear apart stigma,” Chisholm said.
“Where does it come from? We create it, but by putting tools in place we can break it apart and learn that we can do things about suicide.”
Community Health Worker Jillian Gribben believes this program is important for everyone.
“The program provides you with steps that help you to be more alert on the possibility of suicide and to get people who are at risk of suicide connected with appropriate resources,” Gribben said.
NorWest Community Health Centres is accepting online registrations for its next Safe Talk training session on May 24.
There is a fee to take the course, but a small number of subsidies are available.
(TBT News)
