The Programme:

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can

learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the

Heimlich Manoeuvre help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in

QPR learn how to recognise the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to

question, persuade, and refer someone to help.

How is QPR like CPR?:

Both are interventions. Much of the world is familiar with CPR — short for

cardiopulmonary resuscitation — an emergency medical intervention created in

1957 by Peter Safar. The process is designed to stabilize people who aren’t

breathing or breathing intermittently and who may be in cardiac arrest until the

person can reach a hospital or other care.

Similarly, QPR is an an emergency mental health intervention for suicidal

persons created in 1995 by Paul Quinnett. An abbreviation for Question,

Persuade and Refer, the intent is also to identify and interrupt the crisis and

direct that person to the proper care.

Both are part of a "Chain of Survival": Both CPR and QPR are part of systems

designed to increase the chance of survival in the event of a crisis.