HQDA Tasker No. 09013001
ASIST Evaluation
Summary
In January 2009, at the invitation of Army G-1, CHPPM, Living¬Works Education (LWE) and G-1 agreed to work together to assess training effectiveness of ACE and ASIST within the US Army. Army ASIST Trainers were contacted in February to elicit their involvement and support to assess level of learning effectiveness and appropriateness of ASIST for particular The selected workshops include in-theatre, CONUS, Warrior Transi¬tion Units, Leadership, and family members.
The report presents the results of LivingWorks Education Inc. (LWE) and the Army G-1 collaboration with the Center of Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (CHPPM) to assess ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshops conducted by Army Trainers. The report was specifically commissioned to help determine the level of learning and appropriateness for Army Soldier groups.
The exact detailed instruction, the survey instruments, the survey design, the methodology, and the limitations can be found in the full version of the HDQA Tasker No. 09013001.
The conclusions are clear that ASIST Training helps caregivers talk openly and directly with someone about suicide. That ASIST Training also helped prepare caregivers to recognize signs of suicide and increases their confidence to help a soldier at risk for suicidal behavior. Specifically after taking the ASIST Training a soldier felt over 10 times more able to help someone at risk, compared to his or her confidence before ASIST Training.
It is clear from the report that participant support for ASIST Training is highly valued and that learning objectives are being achieved with this training. Strong opinions were expressed as well, they included that “ASIST should be required for all who interact closely with Soldiers” and that the appropriateness and benefits of ASIST Training should be replicated at every level of the organization and sustained for continued dissemination.
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