ABOUT THE CONFERENCE…

Michigan’s largest conference on suicide — the Kevin’s Song 7^th Annual Conference on Suicide: Building Roads to a Better Tomorrow —  announced that registration is now open for the widely respected event that features a prestigious roster of leading experts in the field of suicide. Presented by The Dolores and Paul Lavins Foundation, The Children’s Foundation and the Joseph J. Laurencelle Memorial Foundation, the conference will be produced by Detroit Public Television and returns to an in-person format January 26 – 28, 2023 at the St. John’s Resort located at 44045 Five Mile Rd. in Plymouth. 

The three-day conference will bring together more than 400 educators, mental health professionals, professional trainees and students, business and community leaders as well as members of the public, survivors of suicide loss, and attempt survivors. It will address suicide as a public health crisis to better understand and prevent suicide while helping to build pathways to better models of prevention and treatment in order to save lives.

Thank you to our Conference Sponsors and Supporters

To view the session content for each program, click on the logos at the top of each of the following program descriptions.

Pat Watson, Superintendent of Bloomfield Hills Schools, invites you to attend the 2023 School Summit

On Thursday, January 26, 2023, as part of the Kevin’s Song Conference on Suicide, Kevin’s Song will host its 4th Annual The School Summit that will bring together public, independent, parochial and charter schools to share best practices in suicide awareness and prevention, and learn about creative, innovative programs that are bringing mental health and suicide awareness to students, teachers and parents throughout Michigan.  This program’s focus on youth will also appeal to mental health professionals and policymakers and will provide insight into the challenges facing young people today, post pandemic, and how we can protect and engage them.

Thursday will also mark the first Professional Trainee and Student Symposium on Suicide – an intense half- day course on suicide risk factors, prevention and treatment.  Professional trainees and students will be provided with basic but crucial information in regards to identifying and working with people at risk for suicide, in line with healthcare regulatory standards, such as The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal for Suicide Prevention.  This Symposium on Suicide is FREE for persons enrolled in any of these programs in the State of Michigan:

• Primary Care, Pediatric, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry or Emergency Medicine Residency Programs
• Undergraduate or Graduate Social Work, Psychology or Professional Counseling Programs

This half day program is important for trainees entering into professional health fields as well as professionals who are either working with trainees or those who are continuing their own lifelong educational pursuit.  Mental Health Professionals are also encouraged to attend and may obtain continuing education credits.

On Friday, January 27, 2023 the Conference will include an array of powerful presentations that will challenge the conventions of suicide prevention and treatment and challenge attendees to rethink how suicide and risk of self-harm can be better assessed, prevented and treated. The day will begin with a dialogue by three of the country’s leading experts on suicide and prevention, Thomas Joiner, PhD, Craig Bryan, PhD and Bart Andrews, PhD, who will discuss  current prevention efforts and ideas for the future from a mental health and public health perspective.  Topics throughout the day will also include suicide prevention in the workplace, the impact of 988, innovations in crisis management and treatment, and community efforts to reduce and eliminate stigma.  The Friday program will conclude with an inspiring presentation by Fire Chief Greg Flynn on the Yellow Rose Campaign, a program committed to changing the trajectory of death by suicide of first responders and in communities they serve while working to erase the stigma of asking for help.

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, the Conference focuses on survivors of suicide loss and attempt survivors, support group facilitators, mental health professionals, and others interested in sharing and understanding the lived experience of surviving a suicide attempt/suicidal thoughts, and/or the loss and grief following the suicide of a loved one.  Featured this year will be a compelling presentation from Kevin Berthia and Kevin Briggs.

In March of 2005, Kevin Berthia was going through a tough time.  He couldn’t see any way, so he fell into a deep depression and decided to end his life at the Golden Gate Bridge.  That’s where he met retired California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Briggs, who intervened and talked him down.  These champions of suicide prevention and survival will inspire and be a source of hope and healing.

The day will conclude with a presentation about surviving the grief of suicide loss and facilitated support groups for attendees.