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Transforming the understanding
and treatment of mental illnesses.

Director's Innovation Speaker Series: Youth Suicidal Behaviors: Where Do We Go From Here

Date and Time

December 16, 2024
2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

Location

Virtual and in-person at the Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852

Overview

During this fireside chat, Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., Acting Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and Arielle H. Sheftall, Ph.D. , will provide an overview of the state of youth suicide and suicidal behaviors and the path forward for research, prevention, and intervention. This discussion will explore current trends, risk factors, and protective strategies in youth mental health, as well as the research advancements that can shape future efforts to reduce suicide rates among young people in the United States.

About Dr. Sheftall

Arielle H. Sheftall

Arielle H. Sheftall, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry in Rochester, New York. She is an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rochester and the Director of Academic Affairs for the Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, and Equity (DICE) Board for the Department of Psychiatry.

Dr. Sheftall’s research focuses on the developmental mechanisms in early to middle childhood that confer vulnerability to future suicidal behaviors. It is her goal to frame targets for early intervention to decrease the incidence of a first suicide attempt.

Additionally, Dr. Sheftall studies the racial disparities present in suicidal behavior among youth. She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce that developed the Ring the Alarm Report  and continues to examine risk factors, practices, and policy recommendations necessary to decrease suicidal behaviors in Black youth.

She is also a subject matter expert for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), focusing on mental health promotion and suicide prevention for Black individuals. Dr. Sheftall has received funding from NIMH and the AFSP.

About the Director’s Innovation Speaker Series

NIMH established the Director’s Innovation Speaker Series to encourage broad, interdisciplinary thinking in developing scientific initiatives and programs and to press for theoretical leaps in science over the continuation of incremental thought. Innovation speakers are encouraged to describe their work from the perspective of breaking through existing boundaries and developing successful new ideas, as well as working outside their primary area of expertise in ways that have pushed their fields forward. We encourage discussions of the meaning of innovation, creativity, breakthroughs, and paradigm-shifting.

Sponsored by

Division of Extramural Activities

Registration

This event is free, but you must register to attend .

Contact

InnovationSpeakers@mail.nih.gov

More information

Closed captioning and a sign language interpreter will be provided for this event.