Rankin residents ready to ASIST
Intervention program powerful tool in battle against suicide
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
RANKIN INLET
An Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program attracted 26 participants in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
John Baddongon of the Kataujaq Day Care follows along as instructor Renee Malcom makes a point during Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training at the fire department training room in Rankin Inlet in November of 2016. - photo courtesy of Mark Wyatt |
The ASIST program was hosted by the Rankin Inlet Fire Department with funding provided by the Kivalliq Mine Training Society.
Rankin Fire Chief Mark Wyatt said the twoday workshop taught participants how to reach out and help people at risk of suicide.
He said Edmonton Police Service instructors Renee Malcom and Chris Hunter facilitated the program.
"We had an excellent crosssection of the community take the program," said Wyatt.
"I took the mental health firstaid course earlier this year, and then I met Renee at the fishing derby when she was up here visiting a friend.
"We were talking about things she did with the Edmonton Police Service and she mentioned ASIST.
"I'd heard about the program, and with her background of the police service, a master's degree in psychology, and being born in Iqaluit and living there for some time, she was a good fit to instruct our course."
Wyatt has seen the result of suicide first-hand since moving to Rankin about a year ago, and he's been involved with the community long enough now to realize it's an ongoing concern here.
He said members of his department are committed to doing whatever they can to help alleviate some of that concern, and ASIST fits perfectly into that mandate.
"It's an excellent course, especially for those who attended from service groups within the community.
"I took the course and found it to be awesome.
"It gives people the tools to really help those who are in need."
ASIST is for people 16 years of age and older who want to be able to provide suicide first aid, regardless of prior experience.
It has been shown by major studies to significantly reduce suicidality by teaching effective intervention skills, and helping to build suicideprevention networks within the community.
Wyatt said the classroom instruction included a lot of role playing.
He said that aspect helps people get past any apprehension they may have about engaging with someone having suicidal thoughts.
"You learn a lot of different techniques to help you with the initial contact, and to get them talking about what they're feeling.
"It was an emotional weekend, but it was an awesome experience for everybody who participated.
"If someone pushes you away and refuses to talk to you, there's nothing you can really do, but this course gives you the tools to make your best effort in helping someone."
Wyatt said, in his experience, most people who are struggling really do want to open up to somebody.
He said he hasn't met anyone yet who truly wants to take their own life.
"People in distress often behave in very different ways when it comes to trust, when they want to talk to someone, and if that someone is a family member or someone outside their family circle.
"Very often, family members simply don't have the tools to be able to deal with the situation properly.
"I've had firsthand experience with that very type of situation, and the family was at a loss over what to do.
"Anyone over 16 should take this course, especially living in the North."
Wyatt said the course gives you the confidence and tools to approach people and talk to them.
He said the ASIST model takes you through the various steps until you reach a point where you can help them.
"The model is set up so you go through a series of phases on how to connect and make progress by talking with the person until they say yes, they're thinking about suicide.
"Then you try to get to the phase where they talk about why they feel this way, and you understand the choices they want to make.
"Some people want to talk and some want to listen, but most people thinking about suicide don't want to talk about it until they're confronted.
"Most of the time, if they're thinking about it, they'll tell you."
Wyatt said the process goes from the realization somebody's thinking about committing suicide, to engaging them in discussion, creating a safe plan, and coming up with actions to help them move on with their life.
He said once you find yourself talking openly with someone about suicide, you have to listen to their reasons about wanting to live or die.
"You connect with them on that level, respect what they're saying, and try to steer them to where they're moving toward the life side, rather than the alternative.
"If you gain the trust of somebody planning suicide, they're going to talk to you about it, so, if they tell you they have a rifle and bullets, then part of the safe plan would be to get the gun and bullets out of the house.
"And you have to make sure you're leaving them in a safe place until you can get the help they need.
"Once you're talking about a safe plan, people are trying to understand they have more positive aspects in their life than they saw when they were being overwhelmed by those other thoughts."
