Stillman College To Host Free Suicide Prevention Summit

Suicide is a very real concern for our youth in the state of Alabama. Two organizations are coming together to help give the Tuscaloosa more information and resources on suicide prevention.

Saturday, January 27th, 2024 the Black Women’s Mental Health Institute and the Black Belt Community Foundation seek to build support and awareness through the Black Belt Suicide Awareness ad Prevention Summit.

The summit will be held at Stillman College and it's completely free and open to the public.

"Suicide is such a difficult mental health issue to discuss. Partly because there is so much shame around it and partly because there is so much misunderstanding about it," said Black Women’s Mental Health Institute Founder and CEO Nadia M. Richardson, PhD.

"This event is important because it invites to participate in a community conversation about suicide so they can get their questions answered. There will be counselors and various organizations present so participants can also get connected to services."

At the summit, participants can hear first-hand stories from suicide attempt survivors and learn from their experiences.

"I'm very familiar with the disparities that exist in the Black community and the challenges that negatively impact our mental health," Richardson said.

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"On a personal note, I live with a mental health diagnosis and I know what its like not having access to services and how difficult it can be to navigate stigma."

At the Black Belt Suicide Awareness ad Prevention Summit, participants will have a chance to interact in mindfulness exercises and hear from nationally recognized speakers and have an opportunity for informational meetings with counselors.

Notable speakers include advocates and suicide attempt
survivors:

Alabama Department of Mental Health
Tuscaloosa Safe Place
Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation
Black Belt Community Foundation
Children’s of Alabama Psychiatric Intake Response Center
River Oaks Health
Five Horizons
Maude Whatley Clinic