September is Suicide Awareness Month, and NJHA is marking the event with a leadership conference Sept. 24 titled Suicide & Stigma: Taking the Conversation Out of the Shadows. Registration is now open for this important community conversation.

As part of NJHA’s mission to improve the health of the people of New Jersey, it’s leading the charge to convene healthcare stakeholders, business leaders, school administrators, teachers, firefighters, behavioral health professionals, parents, advocacy groups and other community members to start the conversation and take steps together to address this public health emergency.

Dr. George Scott, EdS, LMFT, a dynamic local speaker, will discuss risk factors, warning signs, treatment and prevention of suicidal behavior in adolescents, including suggestions for engaging children and teens in finding purpose. He will delve into suicide as a public health problem, outlining where suicide peaks, including ages 10-24, 45-55 and 75-90 years of age.

The program also includes three panel discussions focusing on: adolescent suicide; veterans’ suicide; and social media and self-harm. Each moderated panel will include perspectives from a provider, a patient or family member and an innovator who is tackling the epidemic in new ways. 

This is a perfect opportunity to unite varied stakeholders to promote suicide prevention awareness and understanding. Click here for additional details and online registration.