Rural Minnesota Clergy Invited to Suicide Prevention Training

ST. PAUL (WJON News) - The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has teamed up with several other agencies to provide free, virtual suicide prevention training for rural clergy.

MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen says the training will help clergy with those struggling in rural Minnesota.

We recognize that faith is an important element in the lives of many farm families. Teaching suicide prevention and intervention skills to trusted community members like clergy can help provide more emotional support for farm and rural residents.

The four-week program will teach faith leaders how to recognize and engage with someone having suicidal thoughts, connect the person to help, and support the other family members during the crisis. The online curriculum will be provided through LivingWorks Faith and will involve weekly discussions over ZOOM. Clergy and lay leaders from any faith are welcome.

Get our free mobile app

Glen Bloomstrom, LivingWorks’s Director of Faith Community Engagement, will lead the training with support from other team members.

Three different sessions will be offered, with starting dates of April 16th, April 18th, and September 17th.

Applications are due by April 5th.

For more information, or to register, find the registration page here.

READ RELATED ARTICLES

LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today

These money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It’s never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]

Gallery Credit: Bethany Adams

Source: Rural Minnesota Clergy Invited to Suicide Prevention Training

Categories: articles