TENNESSEE: Highway Patrol Trains Full Force in Suicide Prevention Techniques

January 26, 2018

News Type:  Weekly Spark, Weekly Spark News
Speaker:  Tennessee

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The Tennessee Highway Patrol has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to train its full force in suicide prevention. Between March and December of last year, 848 officers and cadets completed safeTALK, a three-hour training that teaches participants how to recognize and respond to people at risk for suicide. AFSP sponsored and led the training. “Since Tennessee is such a rural state, oftentimes people who live in the state might not have the same access to mental health services,” said AFSP Tennessee Area Director Kat Cloud. “The Highway Patrol might be one of the few connections some residents in the state have to suicide prevention support in their community. We’re so pleased that the Tennessee Highway Patrol made suicide prevention a priority in 2017.” 

Spark Extra! Learn more about safeTALK.