Find Hope Franklin, the mental well-being initiative announced by Franklin Mayor Ken Moore, and Franklin Tomorrow are partnering with Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network to host four online classes in Question, Persuade, Respond (QPR) training for the community. There will be two sessions on both May 13 and May 20 with 35 slots available per session.
The training will be conducted through Zoom. Those interested in participating can register at no cost at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/franklin-tomorrow-tickets-103956344224
“This training dovetails nicely with the mission of Find Hope Franklin as QPR training was identified as a specific need for our community,” said Moore. “We appreciate Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network for offering this invaluable opportunity. Participants will come away with a better knowledge about what suicide is and what it is not. We want to answer questions, be a resource for those struggling, and in turn ensure individuals have support and resources to meet the needs of co-workers, friends, family members and even themselves.”
Each session will last 90-minutes and participants will learn about statistics regarding suicide in the state of Tennessee as well as how to identify warning signs and risk factors that may put the people in their lives more at risk. QPR training can be compared to CPR – anyone who is CPR certified is ready to give assistance in case of emergency until a doctor or more professional help can be reached. QPR is similar in the sense that although no one will walk out of a QPR training a counselor or a mental health professional, they will be able to give assistance and listen to the person in crisis until more qualified help can be rendered.
On April 28, Mayor Moore announced the launch of Find Hope Franklin at Franklin Tomorrow’s Breakfast with the Mayors. This initiative is a byproduct of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, which was formed in 2019 to address mental health and substance use issues in Franklin and Williamson County.
He also introduced a new website, www.FindHopeFranklin.com, that is designed to serve as a resource that breaks through the clutter for those seeking immediate assistance or those wanting to easily understand the options and information available to them. On the website, users will find a link at the very top of the home page to “find help now” for those who are in immediate crisis. This will take them to a variety of 24/7 crisis phone and text lines.
The website also has a link to an evaluation tool allowing users to answer a series of questions to determine whether or not they need help. Other resource links include Medical Centers, Community Counseling, Substance Use, Psychiatric Hospitals and Prescription Discounts.
Find Hope Frankin was created as a by-product of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task force formed in 2019 to address mental health and substance use in the community. For more information, visit www.FindHopeFranklin.com.
