Contact
Alexis Rodgers, LMSWAssociation for Mental Health and Wellness
631-471-7242 x1315
arodgers@mhaw.org
9th Annual Suicide Prevention Coalition of Long Island Symposium
Putting the Pieces Together Strategies for Suicide Prevention
Keynote Speaker
Dese’Rae L. Stage
Live Through This and You'll Never Look Back
Dese'Rae L. Stage, artist and suicide awareness activist, shares how her experiences with suicide loss and struggles with her own mental health, self-injury, and a suicide attempt, led her down a circuitous path to the creation of Live Through This (www.livethroughthis.org), a series of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors nationwide. She challenges preconceived notions about those with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and actions using the combined powers of photography and storytelling. Dese'Rae implores audiences to open their hearts and minds to those of us who have literally lived through it and come out on the other side, and provides incontrovertible evidence that suicide has—or will—affect all of us. Expect a talk that will be revealing, sometimes funny, often touching, always honest and, ultimately, hopeful.
Dese’Rae L. Stage
Live Through This and You'll Never Look Back
Dese'Rae L. Stage, artist and suicide awareness activist, shares how her experiences with suicide loss and struggles with her own mental health, self-injury, and a suicide attempt, led her down a circuitous path to the creation of Live Through This (www.livethroughthis.org), a series of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors nationwide. She challenges preconceived notions about those with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and actions using the combined powers of photography and storytelling. Dese'Rae implores audiences to open their hearts and minds to those of us who have literally lived through it and come out on the other side, and provides incontrovertible evidence that suicide has—or will—affect all of us. Expect a talk that will be revealing, sometimes funny, often touching, always honest and, ultimately, hopeful.
Symposium Schedule
8:00 - 8:45 Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:45– 9:00 Welcome & Introductions
Colleen Merlo—SPCLI Co-Chairperson
Meryl Cassidy - SPCLI and Symposium Chairperson
9:00 - 9:15 Honored Guest- Legislator Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Fifth Legistive District
9:00 - 10:30 Keynote Speaker Dese’Rae L. Stage-Live Through This and You'll Never Look Back
*Registrants will be asked to pick 1 Morning workshop and 1 Afternoon workshop
10:45 - 12:15 Morning Workshops:
A) Good Behavior Game
Presenter: Megan Lebow Sambolt, M.P.P., M.S.Ed Senior Researcher in the Policy, Practice and Systems Change division of the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
The session will provide an overview of the Good Behavior Game (GBG), a classroom-based behavior management and preventive intervention. While GBG is typically implemented in first and second grade classrooms, it has been linked to long-term outcomes, including reduction drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behaviors, and suicide ideation and attempts. In this session, we will describe the GBG evidence base, provide an overview of the core elements of implementation, and explore the mechanisms that may contribute to its long-term prevention outcomes.
B) Suicide within the Context of Domestic & Sexual Violence
Presenters: Colleen Merlo, LMSW
Executive Director, Long Island Against Domestic Violence & Lisa Heim-Zeller, MSW Training Coordinator, Response of Suffolk County, Inc.
Family violence, intimate partner violence and sexual abuse are leading causes of trauma, injury and death in the United States. Research and practice shows domestic violence and sexual abuse to be among the highest risk factors for suicide . This workshop will highlight how the issue of suicide can become interwoven into the fabric of abusive intimate partner and family relationships; at times, the result of abuse, and, at others, a control tactic used by the abuser. The goals of this workshop are to assist mental health professionals working with adults and children to identify the often subtle signs of family, intimate partner and sexual violence and to help professionals develop safety plans when suicide risk is combined with family and intimate partner violence or sexual abuse.
C) Addiction and Suicide -
Presenters: Jamie Bogenshutz LCSW, CASAC, B.C.E.T.S. Executive Director, YES Community Counseling Services & Adrienne LoPresti, LCSW-R, Associate Director, YES Community Counseling Services
This dynamic workshop will focus on the correlation between addiction and risk of suicide. Participants will become familiar with current trends and critical warning signs for prevention and treatment. Updates on current research will be presented. Discussion will allow for dialogue about case examples and intervention strategies.
D) Collaborative Suicide Assessment & Management with a focus on Youth
Presenter: Dr. Mansour (Max) Banilivy, Director of Education & Training, Pederson-Krag and Pat Breux, BSN, State Coordinator of School and Youth Initiatives Suicide Prevention Center New York (SPC-NY)
Current approaches and beliefs about suicide risk assessment and management will be examined in the context of a patient centered approach. In particular, there will be discussion regarding the understanding of the suicidal mind and what the person with thoughts of suicide is looking for from others.
D) Suicide Risk Assessment
Presenters: Dr. Mansour (Max) Banilivy, Director, Education and Training, Pederson Krag Canter/PSCH
Pat Breux, State Coordinator of School and Youth Initiatives, Suicide Prevention Center New York (SPC-NY)
This training is intended for clinicians, counselors and professionals interested in learning a comprehensive assessment model for suicide risk. The training course consists of the following areas of competency: 1) Learn basic components of comprehensive risk assessment; 2) Identify the 7 categories of risk factors in suicide risk assessment; 3) Distinguish among warning signs, proximal, and distal risk factors; 4) Identify the different definitions of suicidal behavior; 5) Use protective and risk factors to assign risk level; 6) Match levels of suicide risk with levels of intervention
12:15 - 1:15 - LUNCH
1:30 - 3:00 Afternoon Workshops:
E) Caregiver as Survivor / Compassion Fatigue
Presenter: Meryl Cassidy, LMSW, Executive Director, Response of Suffolk County
As caregivers many of us have the gift and curse of extreme empathy. In this workshop we will explore tools and techniques that will help us journey with people at risk while engaging in good self care. The concept of post traumatic growth will be explored in depth.
F) The Voice of Lived Experience: Breakout session from morning keynote Dese’Rae Stage and Rachel Priest, MHA Nassau County. They will lead a dialogue with participants to further explore issues raised in the morning keynote.
G) A Guide to Cultural Competency when working with LGBTQ Youth
Presenter: Pete Carney, LCSW, Director at Pride for Youth
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth and young adults face particular challenges becoming healthy adults. They face disproportionately higher risk factors for homelessness, drug & alcohol abuse and are four times more likely to attempt suicide, than their straight peers. This interactive workshop will introduce service providers, teachers and administrators to the dynamics of growing up LGBTQ. Learn how you can be more responsive to this population and develop effective treatment strategies to respond to the unique challenges of LGBTQ youth.
H) Naloxone Training
Presenters: Jamie Bogenshutz LCSW, CASAC, B.C.E.T.S. Executive Director, YES Community Counseling Services & Adrienne LoPresti, LCSW-R, Associate Director, YES Community Counseling Services
This session MUST be pre-registered for, as participants will be receiving a Naloxone kit.**
According to the Federal CDC, drugs were the 9th leading cause of death in the US in 2013.Opioid overdoses are the leading cause of drug related accidental deaths. Many Opioid overdoses occur in the
presence of other individuals, but often no medical assistance is sought. Naloxone is an Opioid overdose prevention reversal agent that is marketed under the Trade name, NARCAN. Naloxone is used to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation.
All participants will receive a kit after they have completed the training.
3:00-3:30 Certificates of Completion
5 CASAC Renewal Hours
5 NYSED Social Work Continuning Education Hours
The Association for Mental health & Wellness is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0156
No Refunds will be offered for cancellations
**Vendor Opportunities are available: Vendor fee includes table in vendor room and lunch for ONE person. If you would like to be a vendor please register and enter "VENDOR" in the PROMO code box. Tables are limited!!