UCF will observe National Suicide Prevention Week by hosting Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual flag display and training to help prevent suicides.
Memory Mall will be dotted with 1,100 yellow flags Sept. 13 to represent the number of suicides that occur on U.S. college campuses each year. The display, “Field of Memories: Be Aware, Show You Care,” will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pedestrians walking by the display are encouraged to write on the flags either a message of hope to someone who may be struggling with depression, or a remembrance to someone lost to suicide.
Volunteers also are being sought to help place and collect the flags.
Counseling and Psychological Services’ QPR-athon (Question, Persuade, Refer) for suicide prevention training will be Sept. 14 in the Student Union’s Rm. 316AB. The sessions are offered for everyone on campus and will be guided by certified trainers to teach the signs of suicide and the basic principles of how to help save a life.
The hourly sessions will begin at 9 a.m., with the final session of the day to begin at 2 p.m.
National Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 5-11.
“Together we can reduce the number of lives shaken by a needless and tragic death,” said Teresa Michaelson-Chmelir, associate director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
For more information, she can be reached at teresa.michaelson@ucf.edu.