Beyond the Basics in Suicide Prevention

Since its inception in 2003, Maine’s annual Beyond the Basics in Suicide Prevention Conference has provided Maine health professionals, educators, clinicians, first responders, and community members with best practice information, guidance, and resources in suicide prevention and management efforts. This conference is designed for an adult audience that has attained basic training and knowledge in suicide and suicide prevention, and wishes to deepen their understanding of prevention and expand their skill set.

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Registration (Networking / Breakfast)

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM: Welcome Remarks

9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Keynote – Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

You Never Know: Suicidality and Post-Traumatic Growth
In this talk, Stacey Freedenthal shares her personal story of suicidality and post-traumatic growth, starting with her first suicidal episode at age 12 and culminating in her present-day career as a suicidologist, professor, psychotherapist, and author of two books on helping people with suicidal thoughts. Drawing from published literature, she speaks about the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth in general, too.
After this session, participants will be able to:
•     Define the concept of post-traumatic growth
•     Name at least two ways post-traumatic growth can occur after a suicidal crisis

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Break/Transition Time

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM: Breakout Session A

A1. Animal Assisted Interventions: Theory, Benefits, and Practice – Presented by Stacey Coventry, MSB with Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center & Pet Partners
Join Stacey R. Coventry, Director of Community Engagement, NL EMMC and Pet Partners Community lead, and some of our Northern Light therapy dog teams to learn what emerging science says about the benefits of partnering with animals to support our mental, physical and emotional health. Explore different types of animal assisted intervention programs and how to integrate animal assisted activities into practice in settings like healthcare organizations, schools, and counseling sessions.

A2. Maine’s Crisis System: Enhancing Support through System-Wide Improvements – Presented by Michelle Hansen, Christina Cook, and Harley High with the Opportunity Alliance & Brooke Pochee-Smith and Abby Bridgers with the Office of Behavioral Health
Join this session featuring The Opportunity Alliance and the Office of Behavioral Health (DHHS, Maine). The presentation will provide an overview of Maine’s evolving crisis system, including the statewide crisis hotline, mobile teams throughout the state, crisis residential/stabilization services, and crisis drop-in centers.

Discover how Maine’s crisis system functions, how to access services, and recent improvements such as enhanced service availability and increased coordination with 911. The session will also discuss upcoming changes aimed at strengthening the response to crises.

The crisis system is built on three essential components: someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go. This session aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and build trust in crisis services. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the future of crisis response in Maine. Be part of this crucial conversation and contribute to creating a more compassionate and effective system.

A3. Making Meaning – Presented by Heather Washburn, LCSW, CCS, SAP with Northern Light Healthy Life EAP, StrengthenME
We often talk about happiness and purpose, but finding meaning in life is something beyond this. Meaning is the internal push towards being fully satisfied, the unique and personal value we place on our actions. In this training we explore what meaning is and why meaning matters in life, as well as identify common characteristics of those who find meaning. We also discuss strategies and tips on how to cultivate more meaning in your own life, and how personal meaning-making positively impacts our larger communities.

A4. Building Community Connections to Improve Youth Suicide Prevention – Presented by Jennifer Blossom, PhD; Aurora Green; and Kathryn Guajardo, MA with the University of Maine
Rates of youth suicide in Maine exceed national averages, making youth suicide prevention a clear priority for our state. While our state experiences significant challenges in increasing youth mental health services, we are well positioned to leverage community connections to enhance youth suicide prevention. In this breakout session, presenters will provide an overview of evidence-based practices for youth suicide prevention (EBSPs) from policy through suicide-specific intervention. Then, presenters will review applications of EBSPs in community settings, including schools, healthcare, and community organizations. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a collaborative discussion to evaluate and facilitate integration of EBSPs into their community settings.

A5. Creative Interventions for Fostering Hope and Resilience after Suicide Loss – Presented by Christine Linnehan, LCPC, BC-DMT, FT
Suicide loss is often experienced as sudden, unexpected, and traumatic for those left behind. The bereaved often feel “shattered” and at a loss regarding how to restore their sense of wholeness and well-being. In offering support to the bereaved, it is important to note that “without a full knowledge of suicide and its aftermath, it is very possible to make clinical errors which can hamper treatment” (Jordan & McGann, 2017).

Informed by research and extensive clinical experience, this interactive workshop will present an overview of the unique aspects of suicide loss and grief for both adults and children/adolescents as well as the role stigma around suicide may play in the bereavement process. Drawing from principles of empirically supported models, we will focus on a creative, restorative approach designed to promote stability, emotional regulation, and resilience while providing the bereaved a safe way to navigate the rocky terrain of grief; reconnect with the life and memories of the deceased; and envision a path toward healing and post-traumatic growth. We will explore innovative mind/body wellness practices that aim to reduce physiological distress, cultivate self-compassion, and build personal/interpersonal resources. Innovative ideas and resources for working in grief support and clinical settings with children, teens, and adults will be discussed. Participants will be invited to engage in some restorative practices as a means of personal and professional self-care.

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM: Lunch

12:45 PM – 1:00 PM: Caring About Lives in Maine (CAL-ME) Awards

The CAL-ME Award recognizes individuals and organizations promoting suicide prevention through education, stigma reduction, active intervention, or by assisting survivors in the aftermath of a death by suicide.
We invite you to submit a nomination for the CAL-ME Awards using the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/calmeawardnomination2025

*Nominations are due by February 24th, 2025.

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM: Break/Transition Time

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM: Breakout Session B

B1. Dignity-Driven & Culturally Humble Support Practices – Presented by Kiley Wilkens-O’Brien, LSW, MPPM, with Covenstead, LLC and Darren Ripley with Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness
In this interactive session, Darren Ripley and Kiley Wilkens-O’Brien explore how culturally humble practices, lived experience, and holistic approaches to care work can transform suicide prevention efforts. Drawing from Darren’s work at Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness where he supports tribal veterans through community events, peer-to-peer connections, and resource navigation and Kiley’s death doula practice, we will highlight the power of fostering deep trust and genuine human connection among those at elevated risk for suicide.

Together, we will provide an overview of our current efforts to identify systemic gaps that contribute to adverse public health outcomes. This presentation will emphasize that meaningful support must address the root causes of distress, including institutional trauma and historical mistrust. We will discuss how peer support, community care, and culturally responsive practices can restore agency and dignity for individuals navigating mental health challenges. By weaving together personal stories, community organizing strategies, and an existential lens on healing, participants will learn how to hold space for grief, foster belonging, and encourage a sense of purpose for those who may feel isolated or underserved by conventional systems.

Expect a supportive, open dialogue that centers on respect for lived experience, safety, and creativity in the healing process. Attendees will leave inspired with practical strategies for delivering or referring to compassionate care that honors cultural identity, personal autonomy, and the universal human need for belonging.

B2. Emergency Empowerment: Navigating Youth Urgent Mental Health Care – Presented by Alexis Petterson, LCSW and Davina Kulikowski, LCSW with Community Health and Counseling Services
The pilot Children’s Behavioral Health Urgent Walk in Care Clinic located in Bangor, Maine has been supporting the community since its inception in November of 2023. The pilot was initiated to address emergency room utilization and increase stabilization for youth and families in least restrictive environments. Not only was the pilot successful in these initiatives, but also lead to increased law enforcement collaboration, access to referral resources, and supported provider coordination and advocacy. We will provide an overview of the screening and level of care practices utilized that supported immediate crisis needs as well as long-term stability. We will provide examples of life changing impacts the program has had on some of the most at risk youth in our communities. We will discuss how having a safe and supported place to go, with providers ready to engage, can lead to kernels of hope that expand far beyond the confines of the clinic’s walls.

B3. Rebuilding Your Narrative: Supporting Those Suffering the Sudden and/or Traumatic Loss of a Loved One – Presented by Amy Dulac, Barbara Gavin, Jacinta Poulin and Holly Catlett with Bereavement at Andwell Health Partners
The complicated grief that follows a sudden death can be just as unexpected as the loss itself. Several attempts to tell someone’s story may be needed before a narrative is found that feels right. Telling one’s story repeatedly is as old as grief itself. Providing many hands-on ways to arrive at a narrative that fits is the basis of “Rebuilding Your Narrative.” The “Rebuilding Your Narrative” breakout session will allow participants the opportunity to experience a few of our favorite object lessons and allow for time to inquire about our process, the research used in development, and the outcomes we have witnessed. For the past five years, Andwell Health Partners (formally Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice) has been offering a support group specific to complicated grief. We developed our ten-week program using research-based methods, current information and our own personal experiences. People who are impacted by sudden loss, such as overdose, suicide, death with dignity, motor vehicle accident, a medical event, or our own community’s recent mass shooting, need very tailored and specific support. Each week we offer participants a gentle opportunity to talk about their loss and to thereby build a healing narrative in the presence of others who deeply understand.

B4. Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health: Introducing Mental Health and Self-Care to Elementary School-Aged Children – Presented by Shamera Simpson and Rick Alleva, Ed.D. with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
There are limited resources to support mental health literacy for our youth. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has partnered with the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board to offer a read-along program for elementary age children – Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health™.

The book follows therapy dog, Gizmo and his friends as they introduce elementary age children to the concept of mental health – your feelings, thoughts and actions. The read-along teaches children how they can care for their mental health, identify when their mental health might need attention, and use healthy coping strategies for managing their mental health. The program also defines trusted adults and explains ways to connect with them as well as shows children how to make a personalized mental health plan for daily use.

This presentation will offer a demonstration of the Gizmo read-along program along guidance on how to partner with your local AFSP Chapter to bring Gizmo to your elementary school classroom, library or community center.
In addition to reading the book, presenters will introduce fun activities to enhance the in-person read along program including games and mindfulness activities as well as share resources that trusted adults can use to help the youth in their lives.

B5. Planting Hope: One Yellow Tulip Bulb at a Time – Presented by Ysanne Bethel with The Yellow Tulip Project
Are you looking for creative ways to cultivate connection and spark conversations about mental health? Join the Yellow Tulip Project (YTP) to learn how to plant a Hope Garden and host a Hope Day in your community! Hope Gardens are The Yellow Tulip Project’s signature program and have brought together over 500 communities (and counting!) across the United States and the world. The yellow tulip is a symbol of hope – we place these bulbs in the ground during Mental Health Awareness Week in October, where they survive a harsh winter, emerging strong and beautiful come spring. The perennial serves as a reminder of the resilience we all demonstrate in life, especially when it comes to mental health. When you plant a Hope Garden, you dig deep and smash the stigma surrounding mental health as a community.

In May during Mental Health Awareness Month, communities can host a Hope Day celebration – a day that centers hope and connection through a walk to a local Hope Garden, storytelling, music, good food, and interactive activities for all ages. In this breakout session, you will leave knowing how to:
•     Plant a YTP Hope Garden and host a Hope Day in your community, from start to finish.
•     Incorporate elements of social emotional learning by highlighting ‘self-awareness’, inspired by the life cycle of a tulip bulb as it relates to our own seasons in life.
•     Cultivate connection in dynamic ways that offer opportunities for everyone in the community to meaningfully engage.

Here’s to planting hope – one yellow tulip bulb at a time.

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Break/Transition Time

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Breakout Session C

C1. Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health – Presented by Karin Heim with OUT Maine
This introductory training session is for all professionals in mental health practices, schools and community organizations. This training will cover the best ways to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health and list the best practices to guide you through that process. The training will provide participants with an understanding of the importance of utilizing resources developed by OUT Maine to the mental health work that they are providing to LBGQT+ youth.

C2. Creating a Network of Peer Support for First Responders – Presented by Hannah Longley, LCSW (Director of Advocacy and Crisis Interventions at NAMI Maine), Deputy Bob Carr with York Sheriff’s Office; and Officer Kaitlyn Sawyer with Cumberland Police Department
First responders, particularly law enforcement, face a high risk of mental health challenges and pose one of the highest risks for suicide deaths. The Congressional Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act put forth recommendations, finding that peer support teams are one of the most effective suicide prevention techniques, particularly in rural areas. York County received a grant and built a nationally recognized Law Enforcement Peer Support Team.

C3. The Well-Being Blueprint: Relational Health, Boundaries, and Intentional Living – Presented by Stacey Jenkins, LCPC, LMHC with Full Bloom Therapy & Consulting, LLC and Dr. Alyssa Goodwin with Stellar Pediatrics
This session delves into the concept of relational health—a key dimension of thriving. Relational health, the quality of connections with oneself and others, plays a pivotal role in mental and physical well-being. Understanding its impact can help us navigate life with greater resilience, clarity, and fulfillment.

Attendees will explore actionable strategies to enhance overall well-being while learning the importance of developing and maintaining healthy boundaries in work and personal life. These intentional actions are designed to not only support individual well-being, but also to strengthen the relationships that matter most.

This session promises to be engaging and meaningful, offering participants the opportunity to create change.

C4. Thriving Youth: Designing Positive Paths through Protective Relationships and Experiences – Presented by Delvina Miremadi-Baldino, Ph.D., Ed.M., CAPP, and Meg LeMay, Ph.D. with Maine Youth Thriving
This session explores how resilience research can transform communities by fostering healing and promoting thriving pathways for youth. Rooted in MyT’s mission to create positive experiences, relationships, and environments, participants will discover how intentional strategies can build resilience, combat adversity, and nurture growth in individuals and communities.

Drawing from evidence-based practices, participants will learn how Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) can mitigate the impacts of adverse experiences and foster connection, hope, and well-being. Through engaging activities and real-world examples, this session offers actionable steps for participants to support thriving youth and resilient communities.

C5. Suicide Prevention Messaging: Existing Efforts, Resources, and Opportunities – Presented by Sheila Nelson, MPH, MSW with Maine CDC and Rinck Advertising
This session will provide an overview of Maine’s suicide prevention media campaigns, Filter Out the Noise and Here to Help Maine, with additional content on integrating best practices in suicide prevention communications into local efforts. The presentation will include discussion of message development, innovative efforts, safe messaging, available resources, and opportunities for the future.

The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity has been planned and implemented with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education and NAMI Maine. The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education is accredited by the Maine Medical Association’s Committee on Continuing Medical Education to provide Continuing Medical Education (CME) to physicians.

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Event Attendance: Open to Public

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