It is an extremely important aspect of our organization. The AQPS designs training products with major partners such as Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services, as well as with other organizations with data expertise. We have to be inspired and learn from the research to give our responders and fellow Canadians an opportunity to develop tangible skills that will enable them to play a role in suicide prevention.
The AQPS currently has about 20 different training products. We have trained more than 19,000 responders to use best practices and clinical tools that help them recognize proximal factors of suicide. There are 75 factors associated with suicide, and some carry more weight than others. Some factors are observed very closely when action is taken.
Thanks to the expertise we have acquired and the tools at our disposal, we are improving our responses to ambivalent suicidal individuals to help them reconnect with their reasons for living.
The sentinel training is developed based on a similar model, while of course respecting the role and responsibilities of volunteers in their community. That training will give those people the tools they need to determine if there is suicidal ideation, be aware of resources and guide the suicidal individual toward those resources, as that is often a difficult step for them.
Our training products are complementary and aim to strengthen the safety net around suicidal individuals.