UW Gatekeepers Training Emphasizes Suicide Prevention

This semester’s final Gatekeepers training session at the University of Wyoming is scheduled Tuesday, April 22, from 9-11 a.m. in the Family Room, Wyoming Union Room 212. To register, email the UW Counseling Center at uccstaff@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-2187.

The training is the first step in educating students, staff and faculty on the importance of suicide prevention awareness. The goal is to promote help-seeking behaviors and reduce the stigma of seeking care for mental and behavioral health problems.

Each two-hour training session will define warning signs and risks of suicide, define protective factors against suicide, and provide resources and skills to make a referral to a professional. The trainings are open to all interested students, staff, faculty and community members.

“Suicide prevention is a priority for students, faculty and staff at the University of Wyoming,” says Lena Newlin, AWARE Program coordinator at the UW Counseling Center. “Gatekeeper training can provide a bridge to professional help and bring suicide out of the silence.”