We hope you can join us on April 30 in Madison for the Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Preconference gathering.This is the first official in-person PSW Conference offering since 2019, so come reconnect with partners you haven't seen in a while and meet new faces! This is a time for research and skill sharing as well as networking.
Date/Time: Goodman Community Center, 214 Waubesa St, Madison, WI 53704. 9am to 3pm.
Registration fee: $40 (includes lunch). Space is limited. Register early! Registration for the preconference closes at noon on 4/23. Exhibit tables are available.
Agenda
9-10am Exhibitor tabling, coffee, networking
10am-12pm AFSP Research Connection, presented by the AFSP Wisconsin Chapter, with Arielle Sheftall, PhD
12-1pm Lunch
1-2:30pm Local Suicide Prevention Coalition Showcase and Q&A
2:30-3PM Closing remarks and Adjourn
AFSP Research Connection, presented by the AFSP Wisconsin Chapter
Preteen Suicidal Behavior: What We Know and Where We Go from Here
Arielle Sheftall, PhD
Arielle H. Sheftall, PhD is an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry in Rochester, New York. She is also the Director of Academic Affairs for the Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, and Equity (DICE) Board for the department. Her research focuses on the developmental mechanisms in early to middle childhood that confer vulnerability to future suicidal behavior. Additionally, Dr. Sheftall studies the racial disparities present in suicidal behavior among youth. It is her goal to frame targets for early intervention to decrease the incidence of a first suicide attempt. She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce that developed the Ring the Alarm Report and continues to examine risk factors, practice, and policy recommendations necessary to decrease suicidal behaviors in Black youth. She is also a subject matter expert for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) focusing on mental health promotion and suicide prevention for Black individuals. Finally, Dr. Sheftall receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and AFSP and is a big Green Bay Packers and Boston Celtics fan.
We'd like to give a special thank you to the AFSP Wisconsin Chapter for sponsoring this portion of the preconference.
Local Suicide Prevention Coalition Showcase and Q&A
Hear from coalitions from around the state. Learn about how they are working to meet the needs of their communities and how they are leveraging resources in the community to achieve their goals. Hear about some of the challenges they've faced as well as advice for anyone in the early stages of coalition development. Panelists:
Darienne Blair - Prevent Suicide Columbia County.
Darienne Blair is a health educator at Columbia County Public Health where she does work around mental health, substance misuse, emergency preparedness, and anywhere else they can help out! She is the facilitator of Prevent Suicide Columbia County, leads QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention trainings, and is always looking for new and creative ways to promote the mental health of the community! Darienne graduated from the University of Nebraska Kearney and now attends the Medical College of Wisconsin where she is working towards a Masters in Public Health. In their free time, you can find Darienne advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, hiking, or reading fantasy and romance books!
Michelle Nelson - Prevent Suicide Portage County
Michelle Nelson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at an Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital. She has worked in the Mental Health field for over 30 years. She is the co-chair of Prevent Suicide Portage County. Michelle is certified in QPR and AMSR to address suicide prevention. She works with the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in providing supervision for Bachelor Level Social Work Students. Michelle in connection with NAMI Portage/Wood County schedules and sometimes helps facilitate monthly Mental Health Awareness Groups. In 2023 she won the Jefferson Award for her work and involvement with the community regarding mental health awareness and suicide prevention. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, scrap booking and traveling with her husband.
Heidi Pritzl - Northwoods COPE Coalition
Heidi Pritzl graduated with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) in Honolulu, HI. Fourteen years ago, Heidi moved back to St. Germain, Wisconsin with the goal to serve and support her“ home” community. When she returned to Wisconsin she began to work in the field of mental health as a clinical social worker on the inpatient unit at St. Mary’s hospital for Ministry Koller Behavioral Health, which is now Aspirus Koller Behavioral Health. Heidi then transitioned to outpatient mental health in the clinic setting as a Psychotherapist. Heidi began work with the Northwoods COPE coalition during this time and moved into the co-lead position about 5 years ago. Heidi helps to co-lead the mental health and suicide prevention COPE Coalition serving Forest, Oneida, and Vilas Counties in northern WI.
Heidi is trained in suicide prevention with the QPR Institute in Seattle, WA, as a Master and Gatekeeper Trainer. Her goal has been to train as many individuals as possible on the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, to help support the nation’s goal to reduce suicides by 25% by 2025. Recently Heidi has been training college and high school staff to include coaches, in additon to consulting with corporations and univeristies to implement suicide prevention and mental health support into their businesses. Heidi shares, “I know my work will be done when people begin receiving cards, casseroles, and flowers for a recent diagnosis for mental health or after a hospital stay on a psychiatric inpatient unit.”
Cindy Reffke - Prevent Suicide Fox Cities
Cindy Reffke is an entrepreneur starting her own marketing business in her home. In this role she was a business consultant and provided marketing and business services to corporations for over 25 years. She retired at the end of 2021 after 45 years in the business world. She was a board member of BABES, KASA Soccer and Paperfest before joining the board of Prevent Suicide Fox Cities 11 years ago. She became the Executive Director and uses her business and marketing skills to move Prevent Suicide Fox Cities forward. She has a gift for building long standing relationships with collaborators and funders. She is also the board chair of Prevent Suicide Fox Cities, a certified QPR instructor and coordinator of QPR for Outagamie and Calumet Counties. She co-facilitates individual and group support after suicide loss. Serving over 135 families. Prevent Suicide Fox Cities exists to reduce suicide and its toll on survivors. Cindy is a survivor of suicide loss losing her brother-in-law Rick Reffke to suicide 16 years ago. She works daily to keep his memory alive. She has also been a Rotarian for over 15 years serving as President of her club in 2019. She lives the Rotary motto of Service Above Self.
Jeanette Potts - Prevent Suicide Fox Cities
Jeanette M. Potts is the Vice Chair for Prevent Suicide Fox Cities (PSFC) – which focuses on community education, suicide prevention and survivor support. She currently co-facilitates the PSFC Survivors After Support (SAS) group. Jeanette holds a Master of Science degree in Leadership with a concentration in Grief and Bereavement from Marian University. She semi-retired in July 2023, but continues to work part-time at the American Tissue Services Foundation and supports their Donor Family Program. She is a past adjunct instructor for Marian University where she taught Introductory to Thanatology, End-of-Life Care and Comprehending Suicide classes to undergraduate students and is the most current editor of the on-line resources for The Last Dance, Encountering Death & Dying textbook. Jeanette is an active member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and achieved a professional certification and the designation of CT – Certified in Thanatology – the study of death, dying, grief and bereavement. Jeanette also serves on two other executive committee boards: Northeast Wisconsin Grief Network and the Suicide Prevention Action Team and is also an active member of the Donate Life Wisconsin Board. Jeanette believes that walking the path of grief with others is her calling and life’s work. Jeanette is also a suicide survivor and honors the memory of her beloved nephew, Rob.