Webinar Description:

This webinar will focus on the current state of what we know about opioid use and suicide. In part 1, Dr. Jane Pearson, Chair, NIMH Suicide Research Consortium, will address overall data on opioids and suicide, affected sub-groups, and why certain sub-groups are affected more than others. In part 2, Dr. Richard McKeon, Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, will speak on challenges and opportunities regarding the integration of opioid use and suicide. He will also describe Zero Suicide and other suicide prevention initiatives.

Meet the Presenters:

• Dr. Jane Pearson, Ph.D. is the Special Advisor to the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on Suicide Research. She chairs the NIMH Suicide Research Consortium, and serves as the National Institutes of Health representative to the Department of Health and Human Services Federal Steering Group on Suicide Prevention. She assisted in the development of the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Suicide and the first National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
• Dr. Richard McKeon is Chief of the Suicide Prevention Branch at the Center for Mental Health Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In his current role, he oversees all branch suicide prevention activities. Dr. McKeon, in partnership with Dr. Jerry Reed and the US Surgeon General’s Office, led the 2012 revision of the US National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, first adopted in 2001.

This webinar is held as a collaborative effort between the Great Lakes ATTC, the Great Lakes MHTTC, the Central East ATTC, and the Central East MHTTC.