Pennridge staff members participate in mental health and suicide awareness training

 In another effort to raise awareness of mental health issues, the Pennridge School District recently held a QPR training session for more than 50 staff members.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer. The two-hour training, led by Keeley Rosenthal, the Emergency and Court Services Coordinator and QPR Coordinator for Bucks County, helped individuals understand and recognize a mental health crisis. QPR enables individuals to recognize the warning signs, clues and suicidal communications of people in crisis and gain the skills to act vigorously to prevent a possible tragedy. Instead of counseling or treatment, QPR offers hope through positive action, said a Pennridge School District press release.

Leanna Goodrich, a Pennridge High School teacher, said the need for such trainings has never been greater.

“It was such a meaningful training to help me as both a parent and a teacher,” said Goodrich. “There are so many instances today where students are in crisis and turn to teachers for guidance and support. This training gave us additional tools to help our kids when they most need it.”

Pennridge administrators similarly emphasized the importance of the training, underscoring the district’s commitment to prioritizing students’ mental health.

    The two-hour QPR training helped more than 50 staff members understand and recognize a mental health crisis. (Credit: David Thomas)
  

“At Pennridge, we are committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes mental health and well-being for our students, staff, and community,” said Superintendent Angelo Berrios, who participated in the training. “QPR training equips individuals to recognize, intervene, and support those in crisis, reflecting our mission to create a safe and compassionate environment. Seeing so many staff members actively participate highlights their dedication to this critical work and reinforces the strength of our community.”

“QPR is important because it is an avenue to build hope for the person and to assist in their understanding that they are important, and their life has value,” said Director of Student Services Erneest Johnson, a veteran of the guidance and mental health field. “The presence of our professional staff at the QPR training was meaningful because it shows the adults in the schools want to be a part of suicide prevention and have tools to support students who may have thoughts of ending their life. Their presence is indicative of their willingness to build a network of support for students who may not know how to access help and who may not know recovery is possible.”

“Our board recognizes the mental health challenges facing our students today,” added school board president Ron Wurz. “And we will continue to support efforts made by our administration to help all of our student’s succeed.”