Q&A: Mental Health Awareness Month — take QPR training today

Video produced by UK Public Relations and Strategic Communication and UK Marketing and Brand Strategy. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. If using a mobile device, click on the “thought bubble” in the same area.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 28, 2025) — May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Organizations around Kentucky are taking this time to learn about and highlight the many mental health resources available right here and nationwide.

As a part of Mental Health Awareness month, University of Kentucky experts Julie Cerel, Ph.D., in the College of Social Work; Marc Woods, Ph.D., chief nursing officer for UK HealthCare; Lindsey Jasinski, Ph.D., chief administrative officer at UK HealthCare’s Eastern State Hospital; and Sarah Geegan, Ph. D., assistant professor of integrated strategic communication, joined UKNow in a conversation about mental health resources and support in Kentucky.

UKNow: What work are you doing during Mental Health Awareness Month?

Cerel: The suicide prevention and exposure lab is focusing on research with three main focuses:

• Impacts of knowing someone who has died by suicide

• Suicide bereavement 

• Prevention work like QPR and Code Red

Code Red is what we call a universal safety plan that anyone can make now and have to fall back on at any time in the future if they find themselves in need of support. 

Jasinski: Individuals in active mental health crises are able to come into the EmPATH unit at Eastern State Hospital and get immediate services and are connected with resources in the community. Four thousand individuals have come through the EmPATH unit and received support. This resource, in addition to things like QPR and 988 (Suicide and Crisis Hotline) creates a robust mental health support plan for Kentuckians. 

Woods: Two thirds of those that come into the EmPATH unit are experiencing suicidal ideation or intent. The EmPATH unit is extremely involved in suicide prevention based on that statistic alone. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the state of Kentucky for ages 10-34 and to prevent further deaths, we need to identify individuals at risk of suicide and treat them properly. The EmPATH unit is exploring new interventions to treat each individual that comes through the unit as effectively as possible.

Geegan: These valuable resources are saving lives and I am simply working to spread the word about these resources further, make sure all Kentuckians know there are ways to get support when you are in need and to raise awareness that you can intervene and make a meaningful difference in someone’s life when they’re in a really dark place even if you’re not a medical professional. A great way to learn how to do that is to take that QPR training, which is free and takes only about 30 minutes to complete. 

UKNow: There have been some recent natural disasters to hit Kentucky communities. How do situations like that impact mental health? What are ways to help in those situations?

Woods: Quite a few Kentuckians, about 750,000, experience a mental illness that affects their day-to-day lives. When we have a tragedy like this introducing new stressors, uprooting homes, impacting their ability to get food and other basic needs, along with grief, we can expect that mental health will be impacted negatively. QPR is important in cases like these because it allows people to become more aware of who might be struggling more and in need of support. It provides comfort in starting the conversation and simply asking “Are you OK?” and builds meaningful community connections

Cerel: Communities band together in situations like these and we’ve seen that in the immediate aftermath of large natural disasters, mental health crises and suicides tend to go down. Six months after a large event like that, however, that support isn’t there anymore and suicides, unfortunately, do increase. Right now, as our Kentucky community comes together to support those impacted by the tornadoes, don’t be complacent, think through and plan for the not-so-distant future. 

UKNow: How does the QPR training equip individuals to help the people that they love?

Jasinski: QPR training really helps us understand how to ask some difficult questions and what to do next. Often, there is reluctance to ask those questions because people aren’t sure how to respond once that conversation has been started. QPR training does a great job showing what trainees’ role is in that conversation, how to ask that question and then connect them with the appropriate services.

Cerel: A lot of people haven’t ever asked the question, “Are you thinking about suicide?” The word suicide is scary for people to say and QPR can ease that fear and provide action steps for those conversations to make it less scary.

Woods: A lot of people struggle to reach out to loved ones who may be struggling because they don’t have all of the answers. QPR reinforces the most important parts, which anyone can do, are your willingness to listen and your willingness to act.

UKNow: What is one thing you would say to encourage someone to take the training?

Geegan: Spending time traveling the state and promoting the training, I’ve been touched by how many people share their connection to this topic. More people in our communities have been impacted by suicide than a lot of us realize. When we think about this as a community responsibility, this training fits in with the values shared among Kentuckians.

Cerel: Based on surveys done just in the Commonwealth and nationally, half of us know someone who has died by suicide and more than half know someone who has attempted suicide. We have found that each suicide impacts about 135 people. This isn’t just a family problem, it is a community problem and QPR gives us the insight to start to do something about it. 

Woods: So much of this is shrouded with stigma and shame. Talking about it and sharing personal stories is the single most important thing we can do to combat that stigma. 

Jasinski: This is one of the most caring things you can do for your family members and friends. Being prepared for things that may happen, including a mental health crisis and being able to recognize warning signs is a way to ensure your loved ones stay safe. The QPR training is a way to be proactively prepared for anything that may happen and it requires such a little investment, about 30 min, to complete. 

In under an hour, you can learn how to save a life. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, take the free, online QPR training at ukhealthcare.com/qpr.