Franciscan Health Michigan City is presenting a free suicide prevention course in December aimed at saving lives.

The entry level question, persuade and refer or QPR Suicide Prevention Course is based on curriculum developed by the QPR Institute. The course aims to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with one suicide taking place every 11 minutes. According to the QPR Institute, just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help.

Franciscan Health Michigan City is presenting the QPR Suicide Prevention Course from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Central on Thursday, Dec. 12 at the Michigan City Police Department, 1201 E. Michigan Blvd. in the Community Room.

The course is free, but registration is required. To register and for more information, please contact Franciscan Health Community Health Improvement Coordinator Nila Williams at Nila.Williams@FranciscanAlliance.org or (219) 283-9649.

Please note: If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, call the National Suicide Hotline at 988.