The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Utah Valley University is continuing preparation for their annual Conference on Suicide Prevention on Oct. 7.

“Suicide Prevention begins with each of us. This conference is a way for UVU to provide an opportunity, for our community to come together, learn how to take action in the fight to stop suicide, and understand the resources available to them,” said Steven Clark, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, in a press release.

The Conference on Suicide Prevention will be a single-day event and is designed to raise awareness and provide educational opportunities and resources to students, social workers, therapists and community members.

“Our goal is to provide value through educational opportunities, fostering relationships, and building a network of resources that strengthen the foundation of hope, resiliency, and assurance in the future for not only our students, faculty, and staff, but to our community as a whole,” Clark said.

The conference will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Clarke Building on UVU’s Orem Campus. The opening address will be given by the “Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge.”

Sgt. Kevin Briggs, a retired California Highway Patrol Officer, earned the nickname during his time on the police force for encouraging more than 200 suicidal individuals to continue living.

Briggs now works as a mental health and suicide prevention speaker, drawing on over 20 years of experience in suicide prevention and crisis management.

Serving as the plenary speaker will be Carol G. Ruddell to discuss ways to respond after a suicide death to in order to promote hope and healing within a community. Ruddell is an administrator in the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Use and Mental Health, Suicide Prevention Program

Additional presenters will host sessions, services, and booths on suicide prevention topics, and up to 15 continuing education units will be available for those seeking licensure or re-licensure.

Following the Conference on Suicide Prevention, the nonprofit organization Extraordinary Options will host the 2022 Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Tribute Concert to recognize the contributions organizations and individuals have made toward improving mental health within the community.

“The mission of Extraordinary Options is to support connection and education in the form of mental health tools, training, and resources for organizations of all types,” said Kate Plato, co-founder of Extraordinary Options, in a press release.

The awards ceremony and tribute concert featuring Utah native David Archuleta will begin at 5:30 p.m in the Grand Ballroom at the Noorda Center for Performing Arts.

Tickets for the conference are $95 for members of the public and free for UVU students. Tickets for Evening of Excellence are not included in conference registration.

More information is available at https://uvu.edu/chss/suicide_prevention/index.html.

Newsletter