This training was held for four days at Laulau Bay Golf Resort, completing CGC’s fifth training this past year in the CNMI.
The training began on Tuesday, March 15, and continued through Friday, March 18.
LivingWorks ASIST certified trainers traveled from Guam included Rebecca Respicio, of the Division of Youth Affairs, and Michelle Sasamoto, of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Training and Prevention Program and collaborated with the CNMI’s LivingWorks ASIST certified trainers Rebecca Robles, tobacco program coordinator, and Jennifer Maratita, clinical services manager.
This training was made possible through the Substance Abuse and Prevention Grant and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Prevention and Training Branch of Guam that was held earlier last year to promote suicide prevention efforts of the Micronesian region.
Fifty participants completed this training and to date totaling 110 certified interventionists though this year’s efforts.
According to LivingWorks Education, the ASIST training is the most widely used, acclaimed and researched suicide intervention skills training in the world.
The benefits of the ASIST T4T, is that the community receives local trainers that can train additional caregivers on how to respond and help someone with suicidal thoughts or may be attempting suicide.
The CNMI’s Community Guidance Center of the Department of Public Health is currently taking significant steps toward increasing community-based collaboration that will result in more successful suicide prevention activities and early intervention efforts.
These efforts have been supported and hosted by the agency’s director, Josephine Sablan, and the Public Health Secretary Joseph Villagomez.
Current plans include additional ASIST certification trainings to various agencies and members of the community throughout the year.
For more information, contact Josephine Sablan at 323–6560 through 6568, or visit www.cgcspn.net.
