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
| Time | Session | Presenter /Facilitator |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00-8:30 a.m. ET | Registration | |
| 9:00 a.m. ET | Opening remarks | Ms. 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. ET | Introductory remarks | Nelson Arboleda, M.D., Ph.D. Director, Americas Office, Office of Global Affairs, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |
| 9:20 a.m. ET | Suicide in the Region of the Americas | Dr. Renato Oliveira e Souza Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, Pan American Health Organization |
| 9:40 a.m. ET | Evidence-based suicide prevention: an overview of the WHO LIVE LIFE Guide | Alexandra Fleischmann, Ph.D. (video) Scientist, Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization |
| 10:10 a.m. ET | BREAK | |
| 10:30 a.m. ET | PANEL 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. ET | PANEL 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. ET | LUNCH | |
| 2:00 p.m. ET | PANEL 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. ET | PANEL 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. ET | BREAK | |
| 4:20 p.m. ET | Wrap-up session | Dr. 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
| Time | Session | Presenter /Facilitator |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. ET | Registration | |
| 9:00 a.m. ET | Lessons from Day 1 | Dr. Claudina Cayetano Regional Advisor on Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization |
| 9:10 a.m. ET | PANEL 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. ET | BREAK | |
| 11:00 a.m. ET | PANEL 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. ET | GROUP PHOTO | |
| 12:30 p.m. ET | LUNCH | |
| 2:00 p.m. ET | Concluding Reflections | Plenary 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. ET | Closing remarks | Dr. 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. ET | BREAK | |
| 4:20 p.m. ET | Wrap-up session | Dr. Anselm Hennis Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization |