Highlights from 2022 NEI Congress: Suicide Prevention
Suicide is a complicated, multi-faceted phenomenon that impacts individuals and communities on a global level. Novel attitudes toward mental health in general and suicide specifically are reflected in the growing suicide prevention movement that has recently emerged in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other nations. While suicide remains unpredictable, a large body of growing scientific research suggests that it can be prevented.
Reasons to Hope: Evidence-Based Actions for Suicide Prevention
Presented by Christine Moutier, MD, Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.) and Christopher and Martha Thomas with The Defensive Line
In this unique presentation, the authors of The Suicide Prevention Handbook, Dr. Christine Moutier, and Dr. Stephen Stahl took the stage with Christopher and Martha Thomas, who lost their daughter to suicide and created a suicide prevention foundation in her honor, The Defensive Line. The Thomases shared the most current research on racial discrimination, microaggressions, and biases that may impact mental health and suicidal behavior in youth of color. They offered a message of hope, by sharing how their organization has made a difference in just a short amount of time. Dr. Moutier followed this with practical applications and resources from The Suicide Prevention Handbook that can empower clinicians to have a more active role in suicide prevention. The presentation ended with several call-to-actions, where clinicians and the community at large can become more involved in suicide prevention for an inspirational conclusion.
(left to right) Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.), Christopher and Martha Thomas with The Defensive Line, Christine Moutier, MD
Sources:
Christine Moutier, MD, Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.), Christopher Thomas, Martha Thomas with The Defensive Line. Reasons to Hope: Evidence-Based Actions for Suicide Prevention. Presented November 5 at 2022 NEI Congress, Colorado Springs, CO.
Moutier et al. Suicide Prevention: Stahl’s Handbooks. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press; 2021.
To Learn More: The recording of this presentation, as well as all of the other presentations from the 2022 NEI Congress, will be available as Encore Presentations for NEI Members.