Annual Conference

What’s the latest research and information about the nature, causes, and management of suicidal behavior and related disorders? Featuring Thomas Joiner, Ph.D. Florida State University, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology.

What do we know about suicide in bipolar disorders? What can we do to minimize risk and adopt prevention strategies? Featuring Sagar Parikh, MD, FRCPC, Maria Bastida, MS, APRN, BC and Cynthia Ewell Foster, PhD of the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program, U of M Depression Center.

Understand the Zero Suicide Initiative, a commitment to suicide prevention in health and behavioral health care systems, and learn about specific set of strategies and tools necessary to adopt the initiative. Featuring Cathrine Frank MD, Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services, Henry Ford Health System.

Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Training Physicians” featuring Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan.

Suicide touches youth and educational institutions in dramatic ways – What do we know about reducing the risk of youth suicide? What can educators and mental health professionals do to reduce the impact of bullying and social media pressure that tragically impacts young people and their families? What can we do to refresh and reinforce crisis management plans? Featuring Cheryl King Ph.D. Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Michigan and Director of the Youth Depression Suicide Research Program.

Why are people with eating disorders more likely to kill themselves than any other psychiatric condition? How can we enhance our skills, and increase our confidence in treating this high-stakes population? Featuring Kristin Francis, M.D. Child and adolescent inpatient psychiatrist, University Neuropsychiatric Institute of the University of Utah Health.

Thursday Evening

Dinner reception followed by the screening of documentary film, The S-Word. Panel discussion following the film with Director, Lisa Klein.

What do we know about suicide among Active Duty Service Members and Veterans? How can we address the mental health needs of Service Members and Veterans, reduce the incidence of suicide and eliminate the stigma associated with seeking mental healthcare? Featuring Major General (ret) Mark Graham and Carol Graham, champions of military and civilian efforts to promote mental health and suicide prevention awareness.

Panel on Firearm Safety in Active Duty Service Members and Veterans, Featuring Navy Captain (ret) George Parisi, MBA, Acting Director, Defense Suicide Prevention Office; Michelle Cornette, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Defense Suicide Prevention Office, and Marcia Valenstein, MD, MS, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center and Professor, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan

Wes O’Donnell, author, filmmaker, speaker and veterans’ advocate.

How do mental health conditions and suicide impact the workplace? What can employers and labor unions do to embrace innovative and effective suicide prevention programs for working-aged people? Featuring Sally Spencer-Thomas, Ph.D. Clinical psychologist, inspirational international speaker and an impact entrepreneur. Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and principal investigator of the Healthy Men Michigan campaign’s research project.

How do we survive the death of a loved one by suicide and understand the grieving process? Hear survivors of suicide loss sharing their experience and feelings. What can we do to cope with and survive a suicide attempt? How do we resolve the question “Why?” Featuring Judy Collins, Award-winning singer-songwriter, filmmaker, speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. Judith Burdick, M.A., L.L.P. Filmmaker and grief counselor, presenting her film Transforming Loss. Deena Baxter, Wellness advocate and author of Surviving Suicide: Searching for “Normal” with Heartache and Humor.

The Conference will also offer panel discussions and breakout presentations on a variety of topics.

For additional information about speakers and breakout session descriptions visit our Program Page.