Idaho State Department of Education

The Mini Sources of Strength training is a condensed and abbreviated Sources of Strength Peer Leader training. This training is available for non-school youth groups, e.g., 4-H, after school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc., and secondary school health classes. Through this fun and interactive training, youth learn to engage with the eight protective factors depicted in the wheel of strength and how to identify and reach out to trusted adults.

The training is 1 to 2 hours, can be facilitated in-person or virtually, and can be tailored to specific audiences. The training is for youth 24 years or younger. Please complete this form to request a Mini Sources of Strength training.

Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health is an evidence-informed, upstream mental health and wellness program for students from grades 2 to 5. The program materials feature Gizmo and his friends (actual therapy dogs) to focus on healthy coping, emotional regulation, and reaching out to trusted adults. IYSPP periodically provides the Gizmo materials kits and online curriculum access to elementary schools in Idaho for free.

Please contact Jessica Harris to request information about availability.

IYSPP provides Sources of Strength to middle, junior, and senior high schools through our annual grant program. Since 2014, we have helped more than 150 secondary schools implement this program. Depending on certified trainer availability and program capacity, IYSPP may be able to accommodate additional schools outside of the grant program. Sources of Strength for elementary schools is also periodically available.

Interested Schools

Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing risky behaviors. The mission of Sources of Strength is to “provide the highest quality, evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse, by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help and strength.”

Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard, they have strengths to rely on.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can my school receive the Sources of Strength program?

All public middle, junior, and senior high schools are eligible to apply for the secondary program through the Idaho Youth Suicide Prevention Program’s annual grant application process. The number of schools selected varies each year and is dependent on funding availability.

All public elementary schools are eligible to apply for the elementary program through a similar grant application process. The elementary grant is offered periodically. Please check back for information about future grant opportunities.

Does the Sources of Strength program cost money?

In Idaho, the program is provided at no cost to those schools selected to receive the program through the IYSPP grant application process for the first two years of implementation. At year three, schools become responsible for program re-licensure through Sources of Strength at a minimal annual cost. Ongoing, non-financial support from IYSPP is always provided.

When does the grant application cycle start?

Applications for the Sources of Strength secondary program are typically published in late February or early March each year, and are usually due in early April.

The elementary grant is offered periodically. Please check back for information about future grant opportunities.

Current Program Schools

If you are a Legacy School (in your third year of program implementation and beyond), you are eligible to apply for these grant opportunities:

SPFI™ is a regularly updated, evidence-informed training which addresses the following topics:

• Understanding the suicidal mind and why people die by suicide
• What is true and false about suicide
• State, national, and regional suicide statistics
• Suicide warning signs
• How to ask, and practice asking, the suicide question
• Getting those at risk to help
• How to instill hope and increase protective factors
• Postvention and helping survivors of suicide loss
• The importance of safety and proper messaging

Virtual and in-person options are available. If you are requesting this training for district or school staff, the training is 2.5 hours. The training can be tailored to specific audiences such as law enforcement, hospitals, etc. Depending on the audience and their needs, the training is 1.5 to 5 hours. Only adults 18 years or older may attend this training.

Please complete this form to request an SPFI training.

Much like CPR, QPR is an emergency mental health intervention for suicidal persons. This evidence-based training follows three steps: 1) Question the individual's desire or intent regarding suicide, 2) Persuade the person to seek and accept help, and 3) Refer the person to appropriate resources. As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper you will learn:

• How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be suicidal
• How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
• The common causes of suicidal behavior
• The warning signs of suicide
• How to get help for someone in crisis

The training is offered online and takes approximately 2 hours to complete, although trainees are encouraged to move at their own pace. Trainees receive a QPR booklet and wallet card as a review and resource tool that includes local referral resources. The training is for adults 18 years or older. You can access this training online.

The Think Strength training combines information from Suicide Prevention Fundamentals Instruction (SPFI)™ and a national evidence-based program to explore healthy coping mechanisms and support the mental health of attendees.

In addition, the training explores eight protective factors, depicted in the wheel of strength, to help attendees develop resilience in themselves and their communities. The training is 2 to 4 hours, can be facilitated in-person or virtually, and can be tailored to specific audiences. The training is for adults 18 years or older. Please complete this form to request a Think Strength training.

The Sources Introductory training offers attendees a brief but comprehensive overview of suicide prevention and Sources of Strength. The training addresses suicide prevention topics such as:

• Suicide warning signs
• How to ask, and practice asking, the suicide question
• Getting those at risk to help

The training also introduces attendees to Sources of Strength, a nationally recognized strength-based wellness program that focuses on youth suicide prevention but impacts other issues such as substance abuse and violence. This portion of the training explores eight protective factors, depicted in the wheel of strength, to help attendees learn how they could support student well-being by implementing a Sources of Strength program in their school or community.

The training is 1 to 1.5 hours, can be facilitated in-person or virtually, and can be tailored to specific audiences. The training is for adults 18 years or older. Please complete this form to request a Sources Introductory training.

IYSPP offers three separate virtual, one-hour trainings on intervention protocols, postvention protocols and special populations at higher risk of suicidal behavior. These trainings are intended to supplement current district and school youth suicide prevention policies and efforts. Four trainings of each supplemental training topic are offered each year on a bi-monthly basis. The trainings are free and provide 1 CE.

Annual training in Assessing and Treating Suicide Risk is provided by M. David Rudd, PhD, a nationally and internationally-recognized expert in the suicide and suicide treatment. Dr. Rudd co-developed Brief Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention, which has been proven to arrest suicidality in clients within 4 to 12 sessions. Participants will gain the essential tools needed to accurately assess suicide risk, manage challenging scenarios, and provide treatment effectively. These are free, one-day trainings and provide 6 free CEs.

The IYSPP training on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is an evidence-informed training that provides information about NSSI in youth, and skills that counselors and clinicians can use to help those engaging in NSSI. This virtual, 90-minute training is tailored for all district and school health personnel such as nurses, counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Other interested individuals are also welcome to attend.

Four trainings are provided per school year: one each in October, December, February, and April. The trainings are free and provide 1.5 CEs.