Suicide Prevention
Trainings for Faith Leaders

The goals of the trainings are:

• Increase rural faith leaders understanding about suicide and how they can help farmers and ranchers in their community
• Connect faith leaders with state government and nonprofit resources that will help their communities prevent suicide
• Help faith leaders provide care and support to those affected by suicide to promote healing and prevent further suicides

Who should attend?

The training is designed for congregations with farmers and ranchers (could be one or many more). Clergy, spiritual and faith leaders including chaplains, elders, deacons, sisters, youth pastors, parish nurses, church board members, church staff and congregational suicide prevention advocates.

• The Basics of Mental Health and Mental Health Ministry
• How to Communicate with Producers and Discuss Suicide
• Postvention: Suicide Grief
• Suicide Prevention in Rural Faith Communities
• Resources for Rural Communities

Schedule for the Day

SF- Sioux Falls location only
RC- Rapid City location only
B-Both events

8:15-9:00am	Check-in/Registration Light breakfast provided
9:00-9:15am	Welcome Mayor TenHaken (SF) | Lt. Governor Rhoden (RC) Invocation Prayer
9:15-10:15am	The Basics of Mental Health and Mental Health Ministry Speaker: Deacon Ed Shoener-President, Assoc. of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (B)
10:15-10:35am	Networking Break
10:35-11:35am	How to Communicate with Producers and Discuss Suicide Speakers: Dr. Andrea Bjornestad- South Dakota State University Extension (B)
11:35-12:35pm	Lunch on-site
12:35pm-1:20pm	"Postvention: Suicide Grief" Speakers: Dr. Mark Vande Braak- Director of Grief and Loss at Lutheran Family Service (SF) Dr. R. Mark Chaplin- Monument Health Chaplain (RC)
1:20-2:20pm	Suicide Prevention in Faith Communities Panel Facilitator: Thomas Otten (SF) | James Kinyon- Executive Director, Catholic Social Services (RC) Panelists: Deacon Ed Shoener - President, Assoc. of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (B) Pastor Alan Blankenfeld - Rural Ministry Liaison to the SD Synod, ELCA (B) Bishop Preston Meline- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (SF) | Pastor David Kinnan- Fountain Springs Church (RC)
2:20-2:40pm	Networking Break
2:40-3:40pm	Resources for Communities-Panel Discussion Panel Facilitator: Laura Streich- DOH (B) Panelists: Janet Kittams- Helpline Center (B) Dr. Andrea Bjornestad- South Dakota State University Extension (B) Vanessa Barnes, DSS (B) Leacey Brown- South Dakota State University Extension (RC)
3:40-4:00pm	Wrap up / Thank you / Evaluation