May 9, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The OSU Harding Behavioral Health’s Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR) Program and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services will host their third annual suicide prevention conference, “Suicide and the Family,” from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at the Ohio Union Performance Hall, 1739 N. High Street.
Media representatives are asked to contact Media Relations at 614-293-3737 to make arrangements to cover this event. Parking is available in the Ohio Union South Garage.
The conference will feature Clark Flatt, president of The Jason Foundation Inc., as one of the speakers. Flatt started the foundation after his son Jason became a statistic of the “silent epidemic” of youth suicide. Flatt now uses this program to educate and equip individuals with the tools they need to identify and assist at-risk youths. The foundation created the Jason Flatt Act, which has been passed in 17 states, including Ohio. It requires teachers to undergo mandatory training on youth suicide awareness and prevention.
Nationally recognized speakers who will be presenting at the conference include:
• Dr. M. Katherine Shear, professor of psychiatry, Columbia University
• Glenn Thomas, clinical director of community-based services for Behavioral Health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center
• Dr. Natalie Lester, director of Psychiatric Emergency Services at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center
The STAR Program, an initiative of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and OSU Harding Behavior Health, improves lives by developing and delivering trauma-informed clinical services and educational programs to help those suffering the ravages of trauma and related mental illness. The program also contributes new knowledge on stress and resilience gained through cutting-edge research.
For more information or to register for the conference, contact Caitlin Willet at 614-688-7976.