Skip to main content

Transforming the understanding
and treatment of mental illnesses.

Celebrating 75 Years! Learn More >>

Forging Connections: Bridging Policy and Research for Suicide Prevention in the Americas: A Joint PAHO/NIMH Symposium on Suicide Prevention

Agenda June 13–14, 2024

Day One: Thursday, June 13, 2024

Moderator:

Renato Oliveira e Souza, M.D.
Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit,
Pan American Health Organization

TimeSessionPresenter /Facilitator
8:00-8:30 a.m. ETRegistration 
9:00 a.m. ETOpening remarksMs. Mary Lou Valdez
Deputy Director, Pan American Health Organization

Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D. (video)
Director, National Institute of Mental Health
9:10 a.m. ETIntroductory remarksNelson Arboleda, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Americas Office, Office of Global Affairs,
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
9:20 a.m. ETSuicide in the Region of the AmericasDr. Renato Oliveira e Souza
Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit,
Pan American Health Organization
9:40 a.m. ETEvidence-based suicide prevention: an overview of the WHO LIVE LIFE GuideAlexandra Fleischmann, Ph.D. (video)
Scientist, Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization
10:10 a.m. ETBREAK 
10:30 a.m. ETPANEL 1:
Establishing and strengthening suicide surveillance systems
Moderator:
Claudina Cayetano, M.D., M.P.H.
Regional Advisor on Mental Health,
Pan American Health Organization

Professor Ella Arensman, Ph.D., MS.c.
Director of Research, National Suicide Research Foundation, Ireland

Mary Cwik, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist, Center for Indigenous Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health,
Johns Hopkins University, United States

Dr. Eduardo Katz
Director of Mental Health, State Health Services Administration, Uruguay

Dr. Alejandra Moreira
Coordinator, Mental Health Program, Ministry of Public Health, Uruguay
11:30 a.m. ETPANEL 2:
Reducing access to lethal means: pesticides, firearms, and medications
Moderator:
Dr. Stephen O’Connor
Chief, Suicide Prevention Research Program,
Division of Services and Intervention Research,
National Institute of Mental Health
“Limiting Access to Pesticides in Suicide Prevention”

Dr. Gamini Manuweera
Consultant, Regulatory Outreach, Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Emmy Betz, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Department of Emergency Medicine, United States
“Suicide Prevention and Pesticide Management in Guyana”

Timothy Morgan, M.D., MS.c.
Director, Mental Health Unit, Ministry of Health, Guyana
“Suicide Prevention in Suriname: An Overview”

Ms. Cheshta Sewtahal
Head, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Department, Ministry of Health, Suriname
12:30 p.m. ETLUNCH 
2:00 p.m. ETPANEL 3:
Fostering socio-emotional life skills in adolescents
Moderator:
Dr. Sonja Caffe
Regional Adolescent Health Advisor,
Pan American Health Organization

Ms. Diana Rayes
Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Technical Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Michael A. Lindsey, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H. (video)
Dean and Paulette Goddard Professor of Social Work, New York University Silver School of Social Work, United States
“Recommendations Guide for the prevention of suicide in educational establishments: the implementation of an intersectoral policy for suicide prevention in adolescents in Chile”

Belen Vargas Gallegos, Ph.D.
Psychologist and consultant, National Suicide Prevention Program, Ministry of Health, Chile
3:00 p.m. ETPANEL 4:
Responsible reporting on suicide
Moderator:
Ms. Arantxa Cayón
Communications & Knowledge Management Specialist, Pan American Health Organization
“From Werther to Papageno: Changing the Narrative to Prevent Suicide”

Mark Sinyor, M.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada

“Suicide Reporting in Practice: A Journalist’s Take on Successes, Challenges and Next Steps”

Ms. Aneri Pattani
Senior Correspondent, KFF Health News, United States

“Responsible Reporting on Suicide in Trinidad and Tobago”

Hazel Othello, M.D.
Director, Mental Health Unit, Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago
4:00 p.m. ETBREAK 
4:20 p.m. ETWrap-up sessionDr. Anselm Hennis
Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization 

Day Two: Friday, June 14, 2024

Moderator:

Stephen O’Connor, Ph.D.
Chief, Suicide Prevention Research Program,
Division of Services and Intervention Research,
National Institute of Mental Health

TimeSessionPresenter /Facilitator
8:00 a.m. ETRegistration 
9:00 a.m. ETLessons from Day 1Dr. Claudina Cayetano
Regional Advisor on Mental Health,
Pan American Health Organization
9:10 a.m. ETPANEL 5
Improving early identification, assessment, management and follow-up for people affected by suicide
Moderator: 
Dr. Renato Oliveira e Souza
Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit,
Pan American Health Organization 

Lisa Horowitz, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Senior Associate Scientist, National Institute of Mental Health 

Richard McKeon, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Public Health Advisor, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States 

“Suicide Prevention in Mexico: Strategies, Advances and New Opportunities” 

Dr. Pamela Espinosa Méndez
Head, National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, National Commission on Mental Health and Addictions, Mexico 

“Postvention in the Community: The "We" Approach to Suicide Grief, Acceptance and Healing” 

Ms. Paulina del Rio
Founder, José Ignacio Foundation, Chile
10:40 a.m. ETBREAK 
11:00 a.m. ETPANEL 6
Supporting research on suicide prevention
Moderator: 
Vidya Vedham, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist,
Center for Global Mental Health Research,
National Institute of Mental Health 

Daiane Machado, Ph.D.
Research Associate, Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS/FIOCRUZ), Brazil 

Lisa Wexler, Ph.D.
Professor of Social Work and Researcher, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, United States 

“Strengthening care of self, others and the other for suicide prevention”

Felipe Agudelo Hernández, Ph.D.
Research expert in mental health, Pan American Health Organization, Colombia
12:15 p.m. ETGROUP PHOTO 
12:30 p.m. ETLUNCH 
2:00 p.m. ETConcluding ReflectionsPlenary discussion 
Moderators: 
Leonardo Cubillos, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Center for Global Mental Health Research, National Institute of Mental 

Dr. Renato Oliveira e Souza
Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit,
Pan American Health Organization 

Belen Vargas Gallegos, Ph.D.
Psychologist and consultant, National Suicide Prevention Program, Ministry of Health, Chile
3:00 p.m. ETClosing remarksDr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas
Assistant Director, Pan American Health Organization 

Dr. Leonardo Cubillos
Director, Center for Global Mental Health Research, National Institute of Mental  
4:00 p.m. ETBREAK 
4:20 p.m. ETWrap-up sessionDr. Anselm Hennis
Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization