Fostering Connection Across the Lifespan

2022 New York State Suicide Prevention Conference

September 20th, 21st & 22nd, 2022

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ABOUT

Social connection is the experience of feeling close to and a sense of belonging with others. A large volume of research with diverse populations and age groups shows that social connectedness is one of the most important factors in determining not only our mental health, but also our physical health. This three-day, virtual conference will bring together internationally recognized experts to summarize the latest prevention science and explain why we should all be more focused on supporting social connection across the lifespan—from early childhood and adolescence through our working and older-age years.

Participants will be able to take ideas showcased in the conference back to their diverse communities and begin or build on existing work aimed at supporting healthy social connection.

We will be offering CEU credits for Physicians, Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Peers, Psychologists and CASACs for almost all sessions. Each session will list which credits are offered once you are inside the platform.

September 20th, 21st, 22nd 2022

Program

September 20, 2022

DAY ONE:

Making the Case for Connection & Innovative Models for At-Risk Groups
8:45am- 4:00pm

8:45am-9:00am
Opening

Welcome & Opening Remarks


Ann Sullivan, MD

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner

9:00am-10:00am
Plenary

Leveraging Community Engagement to Promote Mental Health Equity and Connection Across the Lifespan

Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Director, Mental Health Equity Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

10:00am-11:00am
Plenary

What matters most in health and happiness? Insights from the Harvard Longitudinal Study


Robert Waldinger, MD

Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

11:00am-12:00pm
Plenary

iGen: Understanding the mental health risks of Gen Z

Jean Twenge, PhD

Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University

12:00pm-1:00pm
Keynote

Social Isolation and Loneliness as Risk Factors for Early Mortality; and Social Connection as a Protective Factor: What the Latest Science Tells Us

Julianne Holt-Lundstadt, PhD

Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brigham Young University

1:00pm-4:00pm
Round Table Discussion

Innovative Models for at-risk populations: Exploring the unique and common elements of these community engagement models.

Matt Canuteson – Round Table Moderator

New York State Office of Mental Health Chief Diversity Officer

HAVEN (Helping to Alleviate Valley Experiences Now): A Novel Upstream Wellness Program for Youth in New York Black Churches


Sherry Molock, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at George Washington University

Helping to Alleviate Valley Experiences Now (HAVEN)- Connect is a suicide prevention program designed to help youth feel socially and emotionally connected to natural, cohesive, social networks and to enhance their adaptive coping skills to help prevent suicide among African American youth who attend predominantly Black churches.

Family Acceptance Project: Preventing Health Risks, Strengthening Families, & Building Healthy Futures For LGBTQ & Gender Diverse Youth


Caitlin Ryan, PhD

Director of the Family Acceptance Project and Adjunct Distinguished Professor at San Francisco State University

An overview of the Family Acceptance Projects (FAP’s) work in establishing the critical role of family support in helping to prevent suicide related health risks and promote well-being for LGBTQ children and adolescents. LGBTQ youth and adults are at elevated risk of suicide. Younger ages of self-identifying as LGBTQ in childhood and early adolescence coupled with escalating efforts to politicize LGBTQ identities have increased minority stress experienced by LGBTQ young people.

Veteran Sponsorship Initiative and Way Ahead: Supporting High Risk Transitioning Service members and Veterans


Joseph C. Geraci, PhD, LMHC

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired, Infantry, US Army)
Co-Director, Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran And Suicide Prevention Center (TASC)
VA VISN 2 MIRECC, James J. Peters VAMC, Bronx, NY

Joe will review elevated risk for suicide in service members and both Protective and risk factors. He will describe the evidence-base for his model of suicide prevention in transitioning service members and The Three Step theory of Suicide prevention as well as how lessons learned from this population can be applied to others.

Life is Precious: A Community-Designed Program For Suicidal Latina Adolescents


Rosa Gil, PhD

Founder, CEO, & President of ComuniLife, Inc.
Founder of Life Is Precious

Description of development and implementation of this community-defined program to reduce suicidal behaviors among Latina adolescents by promoting family and peer connectivity. Early findings of program evaluation as part of the academic-community partnership and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the program participants.

Adapting evidence-based treatments for use with American Indians and Native Alaskan Children and Youth


Vickie LaFromboise, MS

Director of Tribal Initiatives, Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Vickie La Fromboise will discuss suicide risk in the Native American population and the challenges in engaging this population. There will be a review of Evidence-based treatments for this population and what Suicide prevention work looks like in this high-risk population




September 21, 2022

Day Two:

Connection Across the Lifespan
9:15am- 4:30pm

9:15am-9:30am
Opening

Welcome & Opening Remarks


Ann Sullivan, MD

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner

9:30am-10:30am
Plenary

We Are the Medicine: Building Relational Systems of Care to Take Positive Childhood Experiences to Scale

Christina Bethell, PhD, MPH, MBA

Professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University & Director of the Child & Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative

10:30am-12:00pm
Keynote

Social and School Connectedness: Key Contributors to Adolescent Mental Health and Suicide Risk


Cheryl King, PhD

Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Youth Depression and Suicide Prevention Program at the University of Michigan

12:00pm-1:30pm
Plenary

Working Minds: Why Peer Support Matters for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion at Work

Sally Spencer-Thomas

President of United Suicide Survivors International, clinical psychologist, inspirational international speaker and impact entrepreneur

Jose Ballejo

UA VIP instructor/BTJ Pipefitter, retired U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class, and member of UA Local 58

1:30pm-3:00pm
Plenary

Connecting and Contributing: AmeriCorps Seniors Service as Upstream Suicide Prevention for Older Adults


Kim Van Orden, PhD

Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center

Atalaya Sergi

Director, Americorps Seniors

Mary Hyde, PhD

Director, Office of Research and Evaluation AmeriCorps

3:00pm-4:30pm
“How-to” Workshops: Learn from those doing the work in NY!

The following four workshops will be hosted concurrently 3:00pm- 4:30pm. Recorded versions of workshops will be available

DBT STEPS-A: A school-based social emotional learning program for adolescents in Central New York & Brooklyn


Presenters: James Mazza, PhD | Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza, PhD | Alexandra Hernandez | Jacklyn Beck

Inspiring Comfort: A skills program for compassionate connecting


Presenters: Jen Marr | Taylor Walls

HealthySteps NY: An early childhood development support program for families that is expanding statewide


Presenters: Hetal Tangal, MD | Allison Lieber, LCSW | David Beguin, MD, PhD | Laura Sigel | Marcia Rice, RN, MS

Connection Planning: A workshop for mental health clinicians working with socially isolated/lonely clients


Presenter: Kim Van Orden, PhD




September 22, 2022

DAY THREE:

Community-level Connection & Stories of Hope from Attempt Survivors
8:45am – 1:00pm

8:45am-9:00am
Opening

Welcome & Opening Remarks


Jay Carruthers, MD

Director of the New York State Office of Mental Health's Suicide Prevention Center

9:00am-10:00am
Plenary

Connect: A social network health suicide prevention program

Peter Wyman

Professor and Director of the School and Community-Based Prevention Laboratory at the University of Rochester

Anthony R. Pisani, ph.D

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics

Bryan Yates, B.A

Senior Human Subjects Research Coordinator Department of Psychiatry University of Rochester School of Medicine

Chelsea Keller Elliott, MS, LMFT

Senior Research - Prevention Specialist University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

10:00am-11:30am
Keynote

Embedding social relations and community into primary care - A population approach


Helen Kingston, MD

Primary care physician at Frome Medical Practice in Frome, Somerset, England

11:30am-1:00pm


Stories of Hope and Connection

Real stories of hope and connection from suicide attempt survivors


Tony Trahan (Moderator)

Deputy Director of the New York State Office of Consumer Affairs

Tony Trahan, Deputy Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs will facilitate a panel of individuals with their personal stories of how they found hope and connection after experiencing suicidal ideation and surviving suicide attempts

Dillon Browne, LMSW

Licensed social worker, coordinating daily operations for MHA Westchester’s Sterling Community Center

Emily Childress, MPA, CPS-P

Network Manager for Wellness Collaborative of NY IPA

Jeff McQueen, MBA, LCDC

Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Nassau County

Digna Quinones

Regional Advocacy Specialist, New York State Office of Mental Health - Office of Consumer Affairs

Meet our

guest and keynote speakers!


Jose Ballejo

Jacklyn Beck

David Beguin, MD, PhD

Christina Bethell, PhD, MPH, MBA

Dillon Browne, LMSW

Matt Canuteson

Jay Carruthers, MD

Emily Childress, MPA, CPS-P

Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza, PhD

Joe Geraci, PhD

Rosa Gil, PhD

Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA

Alexandra Hernandez

Julianne Holt-Lundstad, PhD

Mary Hyde, PhD

Cheryl King, PhD

Helen Kingston, MD

Allison Lieber, LCSW

Jen Marr

James Mazza, PhD

Jeff McQueen, MBA, LCDC

Sherry Molock, PhD

Digna Quinones

Marcia Rice, RN, MS

Caitlin Ryan, PhD

Laura Sigel

Atalaya Sergi

Sally Spencer- Thomas

Ann Marie Sullivan, MD

Hetal Tangal, MD

Tony Trahan

Jean Twenge, PhD

Kim Van Orden, PhD

Robert Waldinger, MD

Taylor Walls

Peter Wyman