The College of the Canyons Student Health and Wellness Center and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health will host a two-day Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Workshop on April 9-10 at the college’s Valencia campus.

The purpose of the training is intended to help participants become ready, willing and able to provide suicide first aid to persons at risk of dying by suicide.

Throughout the duration of the workshop participants will examine their attitudes about suicide, learn how to effectively recognize and review the risk of suicide, and develop new and/or reinforce existing intervention skills.

The ASIST workshop also addresses the need for communities to develop a network of providers who work to prevent suicide.

“This workshop is intended for individuals who have an interest in helping those who are in distress and contemplating suicide,” said Larry Resendez, a clinical psychologist with the college’s Student Health and Wellness Center. “The training will provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to help prevent suicide.”

In addition, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has identified more than a dozen educational objectives for the event.

Workshop participants can also expect to learn about the role of caregivers, and how both they and at risk persons are affected by personal and societal attitudes on suicide. Information about identifying risk alerts and developing safe plans related to the purpose of suicide intervention will also be shared.

 This workshop is being hosted in cooperation with the City of Santa Clarita’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, a partnership composed of several prominent community-based organizations, parents, local youth, educators, law enforcement, businesses and city staff.

The ASIST workshop is free and open to the public with individuals of all ages encouraged to attend. Training certification requires attendance on both days of training.

 Workshop sessions will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 9-10 in the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, Room 258, located on the COC Valencia campus. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.