Wisconsin hopes to prevent suicides through new and expanded partnerships

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is expanding its suicide prevention efforts through new and extended partnerships aimed at training mental health professionals and health care workers to help reduce suicide deaths across the state, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reported Sept. 29. The department extended its four‐year partnership with Aspirus Health and formed a new alliance with Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), a suicide prevention training program. Aspirus is expanding its training to communities on how to use the Question, Persuade, and Refer intervention method to help people at risk of suicide and encourage them to seek mental health support. The CALM partnership will also expand education and training for licensed and pre‐licensed mental health professionals, including skills to support tele‐mental health services. “Beyond helping more providers and community members recognize the warning signs of suicide and addressing gaps in health care access, both partnerships reduce and remove the stigma around mental health discussions and strongly encourage the kind of open and honest conversations that can save lives,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.