UMass Medical School will participate in National Suicide Prevention Week from Sept. 7 to 13 with an information session led by nationally recognized suicidologist, educator and clinician Barry Feldman, PhD. The informal drop-in event will take place Thursday, Sept. 10, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in room S7-402 in the medical school building.
“Suicide has been identified as a major preventable public health problem,” said Dr. Feldman, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of Psychiatry Programs in Public Safety at UMMS, who has devoted his career to education about and advocacy for suicide prevention.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States, the third leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 14 years, and the second leading cause of death among youths aged 15 to 24 years. Suicide rates among middle-aged adults have risen, and suicide rates remain consistently high among the elderly. Completed suicides among military veterans and active duty service members are at alarming levels. Suicide also impacts the lives of those left behind.
National Suicide Prevention Week is an annual campaign to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and the warning signs of suicide. The campaign also strives to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic, as well as encourage the pursuit of mental health assistance and support for individuals who have attempted suicide.
The discussion is open to the entire UMMS and UMass Memorial community, with no pre-registration required for. For additional information, email Feldman at barry.feldman@umassmed.edu.
Related links on UMassMedNow:
Barry Feldman explains teen suicide risk factors
Expert’s Corner: Facing the facts on youth suicide
Collaboration announced to help prevent military suicide
