Maryland’s Twenty-Eighth Annual Suicide Prevention Conference

Live, Learn, Launch (register to attend)

Wednesday, October 5, 2015 at Martin's West (see directions)

Session I | Session II | Session III

11:00-12:15 - Session I

1. ​Suicide Risk in Older Adults: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Assessment
   Kim Burton, BA, Director, Older Adult Programs, Mental Health Association of Maryland
   This workshop will focus on important information regarding older adult suicide. It will allow participants to effectively identify and assess suicide risk in older adults. This workshop will cover risk factors and warning signs for suicide among older adults, including factors unique to older adults, such as cognitive aging and functional decline. Participants will also learn about assessment-related issues that are specific to the older adult population.
2. Mental Health Related Violent Deaths in Maryland
   Adebola Akinyemi, MPH, Chief, Center for Injury Epidemiology; Jennifer Stanley, MPH, Epidemiologist and Rachel Turner, MA, Program Coordinator, Maryland Violent Death Reporting System Program
   This work shop will examine the relationship between mental health and violent deaths and describe the incident characteristics of mental health-related violent deaths.
3. Faith-Based-Mental Health Providers Collaboration for Suicide Prevention
   Panel: Carla Debnam, PhD, Director, Renaissance Christian Counseling Center; The Reverend Debra Hickman, MDiv, President/CEO –Sisters Together and Reaching, Inc., and Carmi Washington-Flood, Chief, Faith Based and Community Partnerships Prevention and Health Promotion Administration, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
   The goal of this panel is to increase collaboration between faith-based and mental health practitioners in an effort to increase help seeking, narrow the gap of unmet mental health needs and encourage integrated care. The panel will discuss pathways into care through the faith-based sectors and challenges faith-based and mental health practitioners need to overcome to be partners in integrated care and suicide prevention efforts.
4. Sources of Strength: An Up Stream Approach to Suicide Prevention
   Stephanie Rosen, Executive Director, NAMI Montgomery County and Julianne Grothe, Youth Program Coordinator, Regional “Sources of Strength” Trainer
   Workshop attendees will learn about the evidence-based, peer-led teen suicide prevention program, “Sources of Strength” (SOS). Representatives from NAMI Montgomery County will discuss their successes in implementing SOS in nine local schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. NAMI Montgomery County will also share the details of the SOS program, including guidelines for safe messaging to change behaviors, the power of positive norming, and the use of peers and social networks to increase connectedness and spread messages of hope-help-strength to build resilience.
5. Turning Passion to a Project: Grassroots Organizations for Positive Mental Health
   Ericka Alston-Buck, Director, Youth Services, Violence Prevention and Community Outreach, Penn-North Recovery/Behavioral Health Center
   Many Maryland residents and professionals see a need for more work in the area of suicide prevention, violence prevention, and positive mental health but may not know how to get started. This workshop will present the stories of multiple grass-root organizations that were founded to address a need in their community. The panelists will discuss how their passion lead to the development of their project and how others can do the same.​

Session I | Session II | Session III

​1:30-2:45 - Sessi​on II

1. Beyond Physical: The Mental Health Effects of Exposure to Violence
   Brandon Johnson, MHS, Director, Suicide and Violence Prevention, Behavioral Health Administration
   Many young people are exposed to violence in any number of its forms; from bullying to domestic violence to homicide. Violence is impacting our youth in more ways than we might imagine. This workshop will examine the potential mental health effects of exposure to violence and explore innovative ways to reduce risk and increase protective factors for our youth.
   
2. Out of the Shadows: Lived Experiences of Individuals with Substance-related Disorders
   Panel: Robert Johnson and Jacqueline Ellis
   Available data suggest that substance use may increase the likelihood of suicidal behaviors, especially in those with a mental health diagnosis. In this workshop the panel presenters will discuss their personal experiences with substance use and suicidal behaviors in an effort to elicit professionals’ perceptions of needs and services, to support their work with substance abuse individuals and evaluate factors that might promote resilience and prevent suicide.
   
3. Why are 80% of Completed Suicides Men and Boys, and What Can We Do About it?
   Tom Golden, LCSW, Maryland Commission for Men's Health
   In this workshop attendees will learn the three biggest factors that impact the coping strategies of boys but not girls. Learn the different ways we process emotions and how that fits into the problem of male suicide. Learn ways to help men and boys that match their nature.
   
4. Maryland LAUNCH and BABES World
   D’Lisa Worthy, MEd, Director, Project Launch, Center for Infant Study, University of Maryland, School of Medicine; Anthony Carvana, President and CEO, and Renee Clemencia, LGSW, School Based Coordinator, Community Counseling and Mentoring Services
   Maryland LAUNCH and our provider partner Community Counseling and Mentoring Services will present on Beginning Awareness Basic Education Studies (BABES) World; a prevention program for substance abuse for children and young adults.
5. Safety Planning and Means Restriction for Individuals At-Risk for Suicide
   Mary Cwik, PhD, John Hopkins University
   This workshop will review the current research literature for these two brief clinical interventions. This workshop will also introduce participants on how to use these strategies in various clinical and community settings.

Session I | Session II | Session III

3:00 - 4:15 - Session III

1. Not Just a Bill on Capitol Hill: Preventing Suicide through Legislative Advocacy
   Nicole Gibson, MSW, Director, State Policy and Grassroots Advocacy and Liz Colavecchio, Public Policy Coordinator, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
   Everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide – including political leaders and public officials. While it may seem like little gets done in government these days, considerable progress has been made in several key suicide prevention policy areas. Attendees will learn about recent legislative approaches that aim to improve mental health and prevent suicide, and how you can get involved in advocating for these and other needed policy changes within federal and state governments.
2. School Policies to Address Suicide: An LGBTQ Perspective
   Amy Loudermilk, MSW, Associate Director, Government Affairs, The Trevor Project
   This workshop will discuss the components of a model school suicide prevention policy with a focus on LGBTQ youth and provide tools to help communities improve their school policies.
3. Suicide Prevention with Veterans: Help for Concerned Families
   Nikole S. Jones, LCSW-C, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Maryland Health Care System, Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Jonathan Hollands, VA Peer Support Specialist
   Veterans are at increased risk for self-harm. This workshop will discuss risk factors and warning signs of suicide for veterans. The presentation will highlight resources available through the local VA Suicide Prevention Program and the Veterans Crisis Line for Veterans and their families. This workshop will also discuss the Peer Support movement in suicide prevention with Veterans.
   
4. Survivors of Suicide
   Shenetta Makalia, Moderator
   Suicide has no boundaries, it happens in all walks of life. This workshop panel of survivors will share their personal stories about losing someone dear in their lives tragically, and how they are moving forward making a positive difference. Also included will be persons who have attempted suicide, who will discuss their touching stories, and spread the word, "life is precious".
   
5. Maryland Overdose Response Program and Naloxone Training
   Kirsten Forseth, MPH, Overdose Prevention Policy Analyst, Behavioral Health Administration
   This workshop will provide an overview of the Maryland Overdose Response Program, a key element of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s strategy to address opioid overdose in the state. Attendees will receive training in recognizing and responding to an opioid overdose, including the administration of naloxone (also known as Narcan).
   

Session I | Session II | Session III​​