NATIONAL STOP A SUICIDE TODAY TOWN HALL
NATIONAL STOP A SUICIDE TODAY TOWN HALL
A Virtual Town Hall
Suicide: Why, Who, and What to Do
Held on October 21, 2020
The National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall took place on October 21st, 2020. The event was hosted by Stop A Suicide Today in collaboration with the American Psychiatric Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and McLean Hospital. The full schedule is below.
Why the National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall?
Nearly 50,000 people die from suicide in America each year. The suicide rate has increased 35% over the last two decades. Through research, we know that suicide can be prevented through science-informed strategies and through actions we can all take to safeguard our mental health.
The National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall addresses the rising suicide rate in our country. Experts discuss why people die by suicide, who is at risk, and the importance of connection and self-care as we navigate the uncertainties we all feel from the Covid-19 pandemic. By viewing the town hall, you will learn about how we all can help safeguard our mental health and support others in our life who may be struggling. We have learned through research about the complexities of suicide, risks and warning signs to watch for, and how to have a conversation with loved ones to help prevent suicide.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS
The partner organizations/associations listed below provide additional information and resources regarding help-seeking, support, and treatment options.
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
www.save.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
American Psychiatric Association
www.psychiatry.org
Crisis Text Line
www.crisistextline.com
Samaritans, Inc.
www.samaritanshope.org
The Jed Foundation
www.jedfoundation.org
Kyle Ambrogi Foundation
www.kyleambrogifoundation.org
McLean Hospital
www.mclean.org
Warm Springs Prevention Program
www.warmsprings-nsn.gov
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
www.afsp.org
Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention
www.masspreventssuicide.org
Concern Hotline
www.concernhotline.org
Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital
www.ynhh.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Westchester, Inc.
www.namiwestchester.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Wisconsin Chapter
www.afsp.org/chapter/wisconsin
Stop A Suicide Today
www.stopasuicide.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Wisconsin
www.namiwisconsin.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Louisiana
www.namilouisiana.org
UW Health American Family Children’s Hospital
www.uwhealth.org
Zero Suicide Initiative
www.zerosuicide.edc.org
ViewPoint Health
www.myviewpointhealth.org
Elyssa’s Mission
www.elyssasmission.org
Life Assisting Fellowship Corporation
www.lifeassistingfellowship.org
Jefferson Health
www.jeffersonhealth.org
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine
www.med.stanford.edu/psychiatry.html
Mindwise Innovations
www.mindwise.org
Concho Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition
www.facebook.com/ConchoValleySuicidePreventionCoalition
Tune into Life
www.tuneintolife.org
Vibrant Emotional Health
www.mhaofnyc.org
SMI Adviser
www.smiadviser.org
Will to Live Foundation
www.will-to-live.org
Connor’s Climb Foundation
www.connorsclimb.org
Washington County Zero Suicide Program (RI)
www.sprc.org/grantees/south-county
Massachusetts Psychiatric Society
www.psychiatry-mps.org
Suicide Prevention Washington
www.facebook.com/Suicide-Prevention-Washington-105483034205977
Riverside County – Department of Public Health
www.rivcoph.org
Zero Attempts
www.zeroattempts.org
Lotus Educational Services, Inc.
www.lotuseducationalservices.com
Keep Going – The Movement, Inc.
www.keepgoing-themovement.com
Detox Local
www.detoxlocal.com
The Summit Wellness Group
www.thesummitwellnessgroup.com
Additional Resources
https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-awareness-month
https://www.bark.us/blog/top-10-suicide-prevention-resources/
https://www.samhsa.gov/childrens-awareness-day/event/resources-suicide-prevention
https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/North_America/
https://afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/suicide-resource-guide
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml
https://themighty.com/suicide-prevention-resources/
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/youth-suicide-prevention
https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources/suicide-prevention-month
TOWN HALL SCHEDULE
SESSION 1
Welcome Remarks
Introduction
CHRISTINE MOUTIER, M.D. (01:00-02:47)
Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Understanding Suicide
JILL HARKAVY-FRIEDMAN, Ph.D. (02:55-17:10)
VP of Research, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Suicide: Basic Facts
ROSS BALDESSARINI, M.D. (17:26-32:34)
Professor of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School
Director, International Consortium for Mood & Psychotic Disorders Research, McLean Hospital
The Impact of COVID-19
CHRISTINE MOUTIER, M.D. (32:54-50:02)
Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Q & A
TRISTAN GORRINDO, M.D. (50:05-53:32)
Deputy Medical Director and Director of Education, American Psychiatric Association
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
SESSION 2
Finding Hope and Breaking Down Stigma
KIM MCKEWON (54:54-1:06)
SP Advocate, San Diego, CA.
Safety Planning: What It Is and How It Can Save a Life
BARBARA STANLEY, Ph.D. (1:06-1:26)
Professor of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center
Director, Suicide Prevention Training, Implementation and Evaluation Program, New York State Psychiatric Institute
Suicide and Special Populations
TAMI BENTON, M.D. (1:26-1:39)
Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Executive Director and Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Frederick H. Allen Endowed Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Q & A
CHRISTINE MOUTIER, M.D. (1:39-1:45)
Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
SESSION 3
Recovery, Self-Care, and Treatment
TARYN HIATT (1:46-1:57)
Area Director Utah/Nevada, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Treatment Works!
JEFFREY GELLER, M.D., M.P.H. (1:58-2:09)
President, American Psychiatric Association
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Dispelling Myths, Identification of Risk, and Action Steps
DOUGLAS G. JACOBS, M.D. (2:09-2:25)
Medical Director and Founder, Stop A Suicide Today
Staff Psychiatrist, McLean Hospital
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Q & A
DOUGLAS JACOBS, M.D. (2:25-2:29)
Concluding Remarks
DOUGLAS G. JACOBS, M.D. (2:29-2:35)
What did this FREE virtual event offer?
- Up-to-date information about suicide prevention, hosted and moderated by experts in the field. The town hall also included speakers who have struggled in the past and who shared their stories of hope, healing, and recovery.
- Opportunity for the public to ask questions.
- Access to educational and treatment resources targeted to the general public, available through partner organizations’ and collaborators’ websites.
The virtual town hall and other resources are still available on the Stop A Suicide Today website and on our partners’ websites. Again, the link to the recorded event is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VFfgLZwcUQ.
Leadership Team
Tristan Gorrindo, M.D.
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Deputy Medical Director and Director of Education, American Psychiatric Association
Douglas Jacobs, M.D.
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Medical Director and Founder, Stop A Suicide Today
Staff Psychiatrist, McLean Hospital
Christine Moutier, M.D.
Co-Director, National Stop A Suicide Today Town Hall
Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
