'The Silent Epidemic' Conference Aims To Shed Light On Suicide
PLYMOUTH (WWJ) - A local man whose oldest son committed suicide is hoping an event this week might save lives.
"Every 41 seconds, someone takes their life," said John Urso, whose 41-year-old son Kevin hung himself in 2013. "The loss of a child is life changing but the life of a child by suicide, in my opinion, is more disconcerting because you're asking yourself 'What did I miss? What could I have done?'"
Following their son's death, Urso and his wife founded Kevin's Song -- a non-profit charity which aims to prevent suicide. This week, they're hosting "The Silent Epidemic: A Conference on Suicide" where experts in mental health and policymaking will openly discuss the issue.
The event kicks off with a series of pre-conference sessions and trainings for medical professionals and first responders on Thursday, while the conference itself will be held on April 8 and 9 at the Inn at St. John's in Plymouth.
"The Silent Epidemic" includes a broad range of speakers, sessions, and topics. Friday's events are primarily geared toward health care and other professionals, including educators. On April 9, the focus will shift to sessions to help survivors, including professionals, cope with the grief of losing someone to suicide.
Speakers and presenters include Thomas Joiner, Ph.D, who has acted as a consultant for both the US Department of Defense and NASA, Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority CEO and executive director Tom Watkins, KnowResolve founder Dennis Liegghio, and experts from Henry Ford Health System's Zero Suicide Initiative.
Urso added that the point of the conference is to bring the wide range of individuals and organizations that are working to prevent suicide together in one place.
"Right now we've got groups of people working specifically to prevent teen suicide. Others are focused on veterans – still others on people living and struggling with mental illnesses," he said in a statement. "Long term, we hope that bringing these different groups together will lead to relationships and collaborative efforts to prevent suicide across the board."
For more information or to register, visit: kevinssong.org/conference.