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9th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference
Join us for our annual conference Wednesday, September 24th, 2025 in Erie, PA hosted by the Erie County Suicide Prevention Advisory Board and UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor. Our theme this year is “Creating a Safer Community through Collaboration and Creativity.” We are looking forward to coming together with professionals, students, family members, and community members to learn about suicide prevention and intervention and to grow our networks within our community to work towards our common goal of zero suicide in the Erie community.
Our keynote speaker this year is Marisa Vicere. As a strong believer in the empowerment of young people, Marisa founded and became president of the Jana Marie Foundation in 2012. The experience of losing her sister, Jana Vicere, to suicide in 2011 cemented her commitment to helping young people navigate through tough transitional years and educating parents and community members about mental and emotional health. Under her leadership, Jana Marie Foundation is named a top 100 organization by Pennsylvania Business Central.
Marisa is a certified instructor in Mental Health First Aid (Youth and Adult Modules), teen Mental Health First Aid, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), and Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training. In addition, Marisa completed her 200-hour Wellness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Certification and Youth Resilience Coach Certification. Most recently, Marisa has become a trained facilitator for Tuning into Teens and looks forward to bringing this program to Central PA.
Marisa serves as chairperson for the Centre County Suicide Prevention Taskforce and board member of Centre County Council for Human Services and Prevent Suicide PA. In her free time, Marisa loves to hike and spend time with her family.
To learn more about Jana Marie Foundation, please visit: https://janamariefoundation.org.
Please note: there are scholarships available for any individual who would benefit from attending but may not have the means to do so. Please reach out to Sharon Sandberg at [email protected] to inquire about scholarship opportunities.
Learning Objectives
1. Develop an understanding of the areas that may affect individuals’ statistical likelihood of experiencing suicidal ideation and attempts.
2. Explore and develop strategies to create protective environments including reduction of access to lethal means, creating healthy organizations through policy and culture, and reduction of substance use.
3. Develop strategies to improve access to and delivery of mental health and suicide care.
4. Explore and develop strategies to promote healthy connections through promotion of healthy peer norms and engagement in shared creative activities.
5. Connect with others to explore and develop strategies to teach coping and problem-solving skills through collaboration with supports and through creative connections and outlets such as visual arts, music, written word, etc.
6. Explore and develop strategies to lessen harm and prevent future risk through intervention after a suicide, building collaborative relationships, and utilizing creative outlets for coping with loss and personal suicide attempt experiences.
8:15am - 8:45am – Registration and Breakfast
9:00am – 9:30am – Welcome and Introductions - Sharon Sandberg, LCSW & Stacey Buettner, LCSW
9:30am-10:30am – Crystal Ballroom: Keynote Address
"Healing Through Art, Story, and Action: A Community Approach to Mental Wellness" - Marisa Vicere
10:30am – 10:45am – Break / Vendors
10:45am – 12:00pm – Breakout 1
Session 1a – Mirage Meeting Room:
“Safe Spaces, Strong Minds: Strategies for LGBTQ+ Suicide Awareness and Prevention”
Session 1b – Hemingway Ballroom:
“Peers Responding to Peers in Times of Crisis during the High School and College Years”
Session 1c - Atrium:
“Collaborative Crisis Planning: Family Driven Care Coordination for Crisis Management”
12:00pm – 1:00pm – Crystal Ballroom: Lunch and Vendors
1:00pm – 2:15pm – Breakout 2
Session 2a – Hemingway Ballroom:
“Pickleball Can Save Lives”
Session 2b – Mirage Meeting Room:
“Motivational Interviewing for Suicide Response”
Session 2c - Atrium:
“Suicide Prevention and Intervention with Peer Specialists”
2:15pm – 2:30pm – Break / Vendors
2:30pm – 3:45 – Breakout 3
Session 3a – Hemingway Ballroom:
“The Joy of Communicating”
Session 3b - Atrium:
“From Loss to Learning: Organizational Growth Through Post-Suicide Analysis”
Session 3c – Mirage Meeting Room:
“Building Belonging: Suicide Prevention Strategies for Minority Populations in Erie County”
3:45pm – Closing and Certificates
Faculty Disclosure:
No members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships with any companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physician (CME)
The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit[s]™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 5.25 contact hours.
Physician Assistant (AAPA)
The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 5.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Psychologist (APA)
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
This activity is approved for 5.25 APA credits.
Social Work (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 5.25 continuing education credits
Other Healthcare Professionals: Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.
Available Credit
- 5.25 AAPA Category I CME
- 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
- 5.25 ANCCUPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
- 5.25 APA
- 5.25 ASWB
- 5.25 Attendance
Thank you to the following exhibitors:
Eric County Office of Drug & Alcohol Abuse
Newport Healthcare
Charlie Health
Bethesda Lutheran Services
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
White Pine Center for Healing
Mercy Center for Women
Mental Health Assoc. of NW PA
Clarion Psychiatric Center
Lakeshore Community Services
Glenbeigh
St. Joseph Institute
Stairways Behavioral Health
White Deer Run Treatment Network