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Latest news from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide.

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Dr. Anna Defayette, current KL2 awardee and T32 alum, spoke with the UR CTSI about her research on targeting social networks to prevent suicide in young people at high for psychosis and the role of mentoring during her research fellowship in the CSPS played in her career development.

person looking at computer

SafeSide Framework for Suicide Prevention in Rural Communities
Join the UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence throughout the summer as it partners with SafeSide Prevention for a free workshop training series focused on suicide prevention training for service providers in rural communities. Learn More about the workshops

Anthony Pisani

Tony Pisani Named to SAMHSA Technical Experts Panel
Tony Pisani, PhD has been invited to serve on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)'s Technical Experts Panel - Embedding Equity and Building the Suicide Prevention Workforce for Underserved Communities. The panel will hold its first meeting in July and continue work to advise SAMHSA on this critical area.

2 women presenting

Celebrating Graduates at Key Day! On June 12th, T32 graduating fellows, Anna Defayette, PhD, Morica Hutchison, PhD, and Alexandre Paim-Diaz, MD, were honored alongside all of the Department of Psychiatry’s trainees.

Anna Defayette

Postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Anna Defayette, was awarded a KL2 Career development award from the CTSI for the projectSocial Networks and Inflammation as Potential Targets for Suicide Prevention in Young People at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis

Group of older men

Dr. Kim Van Orden spoke with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe on suicide in later life: 
Listen to NPR Podcast: Why elderly men have the highest rates of suicides

Yeates Conwell and Jasmin Singer

Dr. Yeates Conwell spoke with Jasmin Singer on WXXI’s Connections on suicide in later life
Listen to WXXI Podcast: Addressing higher rates of suicide among older men 

Person holding a smartphone with Adobe Firefly on screen

Ian Cero, PhDPeter Wyman, PhD, and Anthony Pisani, PhD recently received a $20K donation from Adobe, Inc. to fund initial research into the potential uses of AI for suicide prevention among high-risk adolescents. This pilot will evaluate the potential for Adobe’s image-generating AI platform (Firefly) to improve suicide safety planning for youth and adults in their lives. The pilot will be conducted with patients discharged from our Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program with youth and supportive adults collaborating to use Firefly to visualize images personally important to their safety plan. 

Arielle Sheftall

Arielle Sheftall, PhD, conducts research on youth suicide prevention and mental health with expertise in understanding and addressing mental health disparities.  In the LinkedIn Q&A, Exploring Youth & Mental Health Equity for Black History Month and Beyond, Sheftall discusses key research findings, providing valuable perspectives.

Tony Pisani presenting at front of auditorium with ASL interpreter

Peter Wyman, PhD, speaks to The New York Times in the article When the biggest student mental health advocates are the students. Peter Wyman, co-director of the Center for Study and Prevention of Suicide, discusses how student-led efforts can play a vital role in suicide prevention.

Tony Pisani presenting at front of auditorium with ASL interpreter

Dr. Tony Pisani spoke at the UR Clinical & Translational Science Institute's Translational Research Day on November 13, 2023. Don’t be the best. (Be the only): Mid-career reflections on funding and impact. Discover and highlight your uniqueness when planning and funding projects for public health impact.
 Watch Dr. Pisani's talk  

group of army officers

The Power of Prevention: URMC Looks to the Future to Prevent Suicide
The Center has been at the forefront of suicide prevention and research for more than two decades. Now, new directions are showing new promise for a tragic problem—one that remains near its peak, even as society only slowly changes to acknowledge it. Read Full Article at URMC Newsroom » 

group of army officers

No One Left Behind: U.S. Air Force Rolls Out Suicide-Prevention Technique to Every Base in the World
URMC Wingman-Connect Program Takes a Radical New Approach. The program harnesses the power of groups and social networks to prevent thoughts of suicide before they ever occur. The Air Force has awarded the program, led by Peter A. Wyman, PhD, to all of its 68 bases worldwide. Read Full Article at URMC Newsroom » 

Mental Health Matters Podcast title

Dr. Arielle Sheftall, discusses who is at increased risk for suicide, how it's impacting the nation's youth, and what we're doing about this tragic and preventable issue. NIH Mental Health Matters Podcast: Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide  

Two individuals holding hands. Text: “Let’s Talk About Suicide Prevention. Share science. Share hope.” Points to nimh.nih.gov/shareNIMH.

National Suicide Prevention Month
Help raise awareness about suicide prevention by sharing informational materials based on the latest research. Everyone can play a role to help save lives. Share science. Share hope. https://go.usa.gov/xvWK6  #shareNIMH

two teens walking and talking

A Conversation About Mental Health in the Black Community
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention hosted a mental health and suicide prevention panel discussion focused on the Black and African American community, which included Dr. Arielle Sheftall from the University of Rochester Medical Center. View on the AFSP's Facebook Page

youth using cell phone

Arielle Sheftall, PhD Earns Grant to Study Early Interventions for Adolescent Suicide Prevention
The associate professor of Psychiatry will receive $4 million over five years from the NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program to study unconventional digital approaches to help high-risk youth navigate difficult times. Her project will enroll participants aged 13 to 17 who will try a combination of a peer support app and/or at-home nerve stimulation. Read Full Article at URMC Newsroom » 

Steven Schonfeld

Steven Schonfeld '74M (MD) dedicates his life to suicide prevention
Steven Schonfeld's personal experience with suicide, his commitment to medicine, and his connection to Rochester led he and his wife to make the first-ever endowed gift to support the University of Rochester Medical Center's (URMC's) Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide (CSPS). Read the full story »

second opinion

Dr. Caine Featured on WXXI TV "Second Opinion" This episode of Second Opinion brings together a panel of medical experts and health care providers - plus the First Lady of New Jersey, Mary Jo Codey, who shares her own battle with depression. Together, they explore the likely causes and symptoms of this condition, as well as current trends in diagnosis and treatment.