When a neighbor’s tractor gets stuck, you don’t hesitate to help.

However, when you see a family member, friend or client stuck in a rut — and possibly suicidal — it can be daunting to try and help and can leave you feeling powerless.

Suicide is a significant public health issue in Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. It involves the tragic loss of human life and causes agonizing grief, fear, and confusion in families and communities. The impact can even extend across generations.

To give rural residents additional insight into how they could be of help, MDA and several other agencies and organizations are hosting six “safeTALK” workshops around the state.

SafeTALK is an in-depth and comprehensive training that offers both education and experiential learning. SafeTALK also addresses the stigma issues related to suicide and mental health.

Farmers, lenders, mediators, agency staff, clergy, educators, veterinarians, healthcare and social service providers, and agricultural advisors and businesspeople are invited to attend.

The four-hour training teaches in-depth skills to help participants learn how to recognize someone having thoughts of suicide, how to engage them and how to make sure they get help.

More specific, safeTALK challenges attitudes that inhibit open talk about suicide and will teach you to:

You can learn more about safeTALK at livingworks.net/safetalk

Training is offered at the following:

Oct. 10. Thief River Falls, Northland C&T College
Oct.11. Moorhead, M-State
Nov. 20. Faribault, South Central College
Nov. 21. Austin, Riverland Community College
Dec. 3. Marshall, MERIT Center
Dec. 4. Waite Park, Quarry Center

All sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The instructor for safeTALK is Chaplain (Col.-Retired) Glen Bloomstrom, the military representative and faith community liaison for LivingWorks Education, an international suicide intervention training company. He is also an adjunct professor at Bethlehem Seminary in Minneapolis. Bloomstrom served on active duty as a U.S. Army chaplain for 30 years. His expertise includes suicide prevention, pastoral counseling and military deployment. He is a member of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and serves on the Faith Communities Task Force.

The safeTALK training is free and pre-registration is required. Enrollment is limited to 30 participants per class.

Register for a session online.

Source: MDA, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.