Suicide Prevention Through a Social Justice Lens
2022 Virtual Conference
Date: September 15, 2022
Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm ET
Location: via Zoom
Conference Overview
The Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention in partnership with Berkshire Health Systems, The Brien Center, NAMI Berkshire County, The Austen Riggs Center, Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Suicide Prevention Program, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention and Alliance for Equity are proud to offer this year’s conference free of charge.
*Continuing education credits (6) are available for a $20 fee.
Per the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention Alliance for Equity’s “Widening the Lens: Exploring the Role of Social Justice in Suicide Prevention a Racial Equity Toolkit” (2021), suicide is a public health issue that doesn’t discriminate. People of Color (POC) are dying by suicide, attempting suicide, and struggling with suicide ideation. But even though suicide is impacting every demographic, approaches to suicide prevention often do not. Suicide prevention work has paid little attention to communities of color, race, and racism. To begin to address this gap, this conference looks at suicide prevention through a social justice lens with a focus on racial equity.
Conference Speakers
Tanoy Burton
Founder and Executive Director of DeeDee's Cry Suicide Prevention and Family Support.
Founder and Executive Director of the Roxbury Unity Parade.
Dr. Gina Coleman
Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for the Brien Center; a behavioral health agency serving children and adults throughout Berkshire County, MA.
Ysabel Garcia
Founder of Estoy Aqui LLC, a professional development training organization focused on exploring the connection between mental health, suicide, and social justice.
Dr. Pata Suyemoto
Training Director for the National Asian American Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA).
Director of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Empowerment Network.
Jen Kelleher
Managing Director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention.
Co-author of Widening the Lens: Exploring the Role of Social Justice in Suicide Prevention—A Racial Equity Toolkit.
Brenda Bahnson
Administrative Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Berkshire Medical Center.
Conference Goals
Identify at least three gaps in suicide prevention efforts.
Describe why it is important to address racial equity in suicide prevention and postvention.
Discuss how systemic oppression is connected to psychiatric institutions.
Recognize how colorism, racial microaggressions, and assimilation increase suicidal ideation in Latinx immigrants.
Outline protective mental health practices for Latinx individuals.
Describe examples of microaggressions and how to interrupt them.
Summarize the roles and responsibilities of allyship; identify common ally pitfalls; and practice ways to be an ally and leverage privilege.
*Continuing Education credits have been requested for the following: Psychologists, LMHC, Social Work, RN, LADC
Thanks to our Conference Sponsors
Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention, Berkshire Health Systems, The Brien Center, NAMI Berkshire County, The Austen Riggs Center, Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Suicide Prevention Program, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention and the Alliance for Equity.