Suicide Prevention Awareness Day, 9/27/2011
Report, video and slide show
Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Featured on Public Radio
On August 17, WITF-FM's Radio SmartTalk call-in show featured youth suicide prevention. Panelists were Joe Vulopas (left), director of Aevidum, and Dr. Matthew Wintersteen (right), Jefferson University and co-director of the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Project. Listen to the broadcast.
Pennsylvania Receives Second Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant!
News Release, August 3, 2011
Grant Abstract
Reports and Feedback from Fall 2010 Regional Youth Suicide Prevention Workshops
Garrett Lee Smith Grant News
Second grant currently being implemented in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties in the Southweat, and Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in the Southeast
Mothers Push for Action to Prevent Youth Suicide, Scranton Times-Tribune, March 6, 2011; features implementation of Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention in Primary Care grant project in Lackawanna County.
Pennsylvania House Passes Resolution on Suicide Prevention Education in Schools
On October 6, 2010, the PA General Assembly passed House Resolution 980, "promoting youth suicide prevention education for all administrative, teaching and counseling personnel in all public and private high schools in Pennsylvania."
Related resources, prepared by Tony Salvatore, Montgomery County:
A Statewide High School Suicide Prevention Education Program
State School-Related Suicide Prevention Education Programs
Lancaster County Youth Suicide Prevention Group Featured on "Good Morning America"
In August 2010, "Aevidum," a youth suicide prevention organization founded by students at Cocalico High School in Lancaster County, was highlighted on a segment on ABC News "Good Morning America" on teen depression. One of the students from Aevidum was part of the panel, speaking about her brother's suicide. View the segment here.
Youth Suicide Prevention Public Service Campaign Launched
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, along with the Ad Council and the Inspire USA Foundation, launched a new Teen Suicide Prevention national public service campaign. The public service announcement (PSA) campaign—We Can Help Us—empowers teens by reminding them that there are ways to get through whatever problems they face. The campaign includes TV, radio and print advertising, and mall and in-school posters and viral videos. The reachout.com web site features stories from teens, as well as tips to help cops with tough issues and links to rsources, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, for teens who need immediate help.
Special Events, Conferences and Trainings
Protecting Children from Harm
2012 STAR Center Conferences
March 19, 2012
King of Prussia, PA
and
May 4, 2012
Pittsburgh, PA
More information (will be available in January)
Lighting the Way to a Brighter Future: Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services
April 18-19, 2012
Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey Hotel
Harrisburg, PA
More information
Collaborations in Suicidology: Bridging the Disciplines: 45th American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference
April 18-21, 2012
Hilton Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Pennsylvania's home-grown high school youth suicide prevention program, Aevidum, will be featuried in the Friday plenary session.
More information
Webinars available from TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups, Columbia University.
Adolescent Suicide Risk Assessment: Free online course available from the Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; discusses the roles clinicians have in the prevention of suicide and provides the needed skills to perform suicide risk assessments (scroll to link under "Mental Health"). This course was developed [in part] under grant number 1 SM058386-01 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies, and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.
ONQ Close-Up: Teen Suicide
WQED, Pittsburgh, PA
Special edition of ON-Q focusing on teen suicide prevention, research, support and outreach. Highlighting the program will be a new documentary, "Losing Lambert: A Journey Through Survival and Hope," which tells the story of a mother's road to recovery after her son's suicide in 1995. First aired on television on October 22, 2009 but now available by online video.
Out of the Darkness Community Walks benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). By participating, you will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss.
September 27, 2011
Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg
The Pennsylvania Suicide Prevention Initiative is a Public/Private Ongoing Collaborative including: Survivors of Suicide, Statewide & Regional Representatives from Departments of Public Welfare, Health, Education, and Aging, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, County MH/MR Administrators Association and several county programs, County CASSP Coordinators, American Trauma Society, The STAR Center, PA Child Death Review Team, PA Protection and Advocacy, PA Psychiatric Society, PA Association of School Social Workers, NAMI of PA, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Mental Health Association of PA, PIN of PA, PA Del Val NAPNAP, a County Medical Examiner, a City Health Bureau, a State University, a Behavioral Health MCO, Common Roads, Juvenile Detention Center Association of PA, Pennsylvania Community Providers Association, Pennsylvania Council on Children, Youth, and Family Services, Providers and Student Assistance Program Trainers, School Districts, Yellow Ribbon Chapters, Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council, multiple county task forces and other grassroots organizations.
