Thursday, June 25 - Suicide Prevention Teleconference - FREE!

I'm sorry for the late notice, but I just got this in an email myself! If you want to attend, you have to register by 5pm today!!!***

SAMHSA’s Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health invites you to register now for a free teleconference training titled, “Suicide Prevention and the Role of the Social Determinants of Health.”

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Eastern Time)

To register for this training teleconference, please click here for the registration page.

Please note: Registration for this teleconference will close at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on Friday, June 19, 2009.

Training Summary
Social determinants (e.g. lower economic status, poverty, substandard housing, unemployment, and poor nutrition) can lead to anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem, social isolation and a range of health and mental health disorders. Long periods of anxiety and insecurity and the lack of supportive friendships are damaging in whatever area of life they arise. The lower people are in the social hierarchy of industrialized countries, the more common these problems become.

Economic turmoil (e.g., increased unemployment, foreclosures, loss of investments and other financial distress) can result in many negative health effects - impacting both physical and mental health. It can be particularly devastating to a person’s emotional well-being. Although each of us is affected differently by economic troubles, these problems can add tremendous stress, which in turn can substantially increase the risk for developing such problems as:

Depression
Anxiety
Substance Abuse
Compulsive Behaviors (over-eating, excessive gambling, spending, etc.)
Suicidal thoughts and behavior

Unemployment and other kinds of economic distress do not "cause" suicide directly, but they can be factors that interact dynamically within individuals and affect their risk for suicide. These financial factors can induce strong feelings such as humiliation and despair, which can precipitate suicidal thoughts or actions among those who may already be vulnerable due to life-experiences or underlying mental health concerns that place them at greater risk of suicide.

Suicide reaches across invisible lines that exist in all communities. Since communities are made up of several networks including education, health, judicial, family, faith, and social systems, it is important for organizations to work together across fields and disciplines to educate people on the importance of overall well being including mental health. Building communities and environments that support wellness, will deliver improved outcomes for people with mental health problems, and in turn affect the manner in which suicide prevention efforts are conducted and the success of those efforts.

Sources:
1 Friedli, Mental Health, resilience and inequalities. London, Social Exclusion Unit, Office of Deputy Prime Minister, World Health Organization, 2009.

2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. A SAMHSA Guide: Getting Through Tough Economic Times, Suicide Warning Signs, Last accessed May 2009.

This training will:

Discuss the impact of economic turmoil on mental health and suicidal thoughts and behavior and the strategies and coping techniques that may be used to manage that impact.

Share effective public health strategies in working with the network of community-based organizations and groups to provide increased levels of wellness programs and support to those who are severely affected by the economy.

Share effective strategies for building resiliency, and promoting social inclusion and wellness among at risk populations.

Send in Your Questions
We invite you to send in your questions in advance of the teleconference. Please submit your questions by e-mail to promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov Please note that sending a question does not guarantee that it will be addressed directly during the teleconference. We will provide the speakers' contact information so that you may contact them directly for a response to your question or for additional information.

You also will have an opportunity to ask questions after the speaker presentations. Speakers will answer as many questions as possible during the question and answer session. Please note that if you provide your name and organization at the time you ask your question, we may use it during the call. Anonymous questions may be submitted.

Training Sponsor
This teleconference is sponsored by SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health (ADS Center), a project of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The session is free to all participants.