Date: Wednesday, September 24^th, 2025
Location: Ambassador Conference Center, Erie, PA
CE Credits: As of this posting, the host is seeking accreditation.

This year’s conference theme is Creating a Safer Community Through Collaboration and Creativity.

This conference has welcomed upwards of 250 participants annually to connect, learn about suicide prevention, and discover how each of us can make an impact.

Engage with interactive breakout sessions (75–90 minutes) that blend lecture, exercises, and skill development to:

• Understand risk factors for suicidal ideation and attempts
• Reduce access to lethal means and promote protective environments
• Improve access to mental health and suicide care
• Foster healthy peer connections through creative activities
• Teach coping and problem-solving skills collaboratively
• Explore postvention strategies to support healing after a suicide

Conference Goals

• Develop an understanding of areas that affect individuals’ likelihood of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• Explore strategies for creating healthy organizations—policy, culture, substance-use reduction—and safer environments
• Develop approaches to improve access to and delivery of mental health and suicide care
• Promote healthy peer norms through shared creative activities
• Connect to teach coping and problem-solving skills via visual arts, music, writing, and other outlets
• Explore strategies for post-suicide intervention, collaborative relationships, and creative coping with loss or attempt experiences

For Those Interested in Presenting

If you have expertise or innovative ideas, submit a proposal for a breakout session aligned with one or more of our goals. You may submit multiple proposals; each must be a complete, separate submission.

Deadline: June 1, 2025
Notification by: June 15, 2025

1. Complete the online proposal form
2. Email resumes/CVs of presenter(s) to sandbergs@upmc.edu
3. Proposals will be reviewed for completeness, relevance to audience and goals, and presenter qualifications.
4. We will be seeking Continuing Education credit for the conference; please include all requested items with your proposal.

Contact

Questions? Email Sharon Sandberg, LCSW sandbergs@upmc.edu.

Thank you for supporting the Suicide Prevention Advisory Board in our mission to prevent suicide within all Erie County communities through awareness, education, and resiliency.