On 11-13 April 2017 Council of Europe (CoE) and European Union (EU) organised a 2-day training on so-called cold and hot debriefing tools for two groups, composing of suicide prevention programme coordinators in prisons and regime staff.
The training was preceded by the off-site work of international experts. They were asked to develop the tool and the protocol aiming at guiding the debriefing for staff right after (hot) and sometime after (cold) an incident happened to minimise stress and burnout as well as to help in analysing the events and improve prevention work. Experts also drew up a form which will help local coordinators working along the Suicide Prevention Programme Managing Council to collect data related to suicide cases and attempts. The form will enable the Ministry of Corrections to record and collect information necessary for analysing each case, identify triggers, risk indicators and use the gained data to monitor the course and efficiency of the programme as well as improve future planning and prevention work.
The training aimed at equipping the participants with necessary knowledge and skills to use debriefing techniques and completing forms. As a result, the participants better understand the impact of serious incidents for the prison staff and inmates and are ready to provide professional help to mitigate them.
During the training the participants also discussed the ways for the effective implementation of the debrief, defined the responsible persons and considered predicted challenges, related with the application of the tools in Georgia. Teaching methods varied theoretical sessions and practical exercises, e.g. simulation.
The training was part of the assistance provided to the Ministry of Corrections to further strengthen the suicide prevention programme in penitentiary establishments. Development and successful implementation of the programme is supported by CoE and EU since 2013.
This activity is organised within the framework of the CoE/EU Eastern Partnership Programmatic Cooperation Framework Project “Human Rights and Healthcare in prisons and Other Closed Institutions in Georgia II”.
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