05-71 C.M.R. ch. 38, § I - Definitions

A. "Gatekeeper" means a person who knows basic information about suicide, believes that suicide can be prevented, learns basic suicide intervention skills, has the confidence to respond and can assist in the aftermath of a suicide.

B. "Qualified Trainer" means a person who is trained using national guidelines adopted by organizations that offer research-based training in best practice, and who actively delivers trainings at least once every three years.

C. "School personnel" means a person required to be certified, authorized, or approved by the department under chapter 501 or 502 of Title 20-A.

D. "Suicide Prevention Awareness Education" means a one- to two-hour session on suicide prevention awareness that is designed for a general audience, based on accepted national models and;

1. Provides a good foundation in language use, beliefs and attitudes underpinning suicide prevention;

2. Explores common warning signs, risk factors and protective factors for suicide; teaches a simple intervention to ask individuals about suicide and to connect them with appropriate resources; and

3. Identifies school and local resources to use for intervention.

E. "Suicide Prevention and Intervention Training" means full-day training based on national guidelines for suicide prevention and best practice (from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). This training is commonly referred to as Gatekeeper Training.

1. Provides the fundamentals of suicide prevention and current information;

2. Supports early identification and referral of potentially suicidal people; and

3. Includes basic suicide intervention skills for increasing personal confidence and one's ability to effectively respond to suicidal behavior; provides opportunity to practice these basic intervention skills; and identifies helpful national, state and local resources.

Examples of Suicide Prevention and Intervention Training programs include the Maine Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training and ASIST.

Notes

05-71 C.M.R. ch. 38, § I