ASIST - Pictou County

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

ASIST is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first-aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may be at risk of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Although ASIST is widely used by healthcare providers, participants don’t need any formal training to attend the workshop—ASIST can be learned and used by anyone.

Goals and objectives In the course of the two-day workshop,

ASIST participants learn to:

• Understand the ways personal and societal attitudes affect views on suicide and interventions

• Provide guidance and suicide first-aid to a person at risk in ways that meet their individual safety needs

• Identify the key elements of an effective suicide safety plan and the actions required to implement it

• Appreciate the value of improving and integrating suicide prevention resources in the community at large

• Recognize other important aspects of suicide prevention including life-promotion and self-care

ASIST participants

ASIST is a resource for the whole community. It helps people apply suicide first-aid in many settings: with family, friends, co-workers, and teammates, as well as formal caregiving roles. Many organizations have incorporated ASIST into professional development for their employees. Its widespread use in various communities creates a common language to understand suicide safety issues and communicate across different organizational backgrounds