Suicide prevention trainings: Gatekeepers describe their training experience, application of skills, and prevention barriers and facilitators

The Training Utilization and Penetration interviews, a process component of the GLS Suicide Prevention cross-site evaluation, present information on the retention of knowledge, utilization of skills, and the perceived barriers and facilitators of suicide prevention as reported by individuals two-months after participating in a gatekeeper training.

Analyses have been completed on 90 interviews, and the presentation will be based on 300 respondents. Several types of trainings are included in the dataset, and responses will be presented according to both training type and respondent type (e.g. clinical provider, school personnel, community member).

Currently, across training types and populations, participants report a higher level of awareness of the warning signs, as well as increased comfort with the topic of suicide and greater confidence in their ability to respond to an individual who may be considering suicide. However, differences have emerged between those attending various types of trainings; as well as between those who are clinical care providers and those who are not: for example, clinical care providers are more likely to report both decreased fear and increased empathy following the training they attended. Additional population-specific themes emerging from the data include the reports of a therapeutic benefit of the training from individuals disclosing a history of suicidal ideation, and the need for culturally relevant trainings. Participants report that stigma and lack of services are the primary barriers to suicide prevention, while agency protocols and support were cited as a major facilitator. These findings may change as additional analyses continue to inform results.