THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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MEDIA ADVISORY
September 29, 2016
ADVISORY: Today, White House to Hold “Making Health Care Better” Event on Suicide Prevention
WASHINGTON – This afternoon, the White House will hold the fourth in its “Making Health Care Better” series. Today’s discussion focuses on the progress made in preventing suicide and the policy challenges that remain.
The program in South Court Auditorium will feature Administration, nonprofit and foundation leaders, and advocates working to address suicide prevention and improve access to mental health care.
The White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) had previously released a progress report on actions taken by the Administration since 2009 to improve mental health research, access to care, and treatment; today, DPC published an addendum specifically about suicide prevention, which can be accessed here: http://go.wh.gov/D7hYj9.
The event will be streamed live at www.whitehouse.gov/live/ on Thursday, September 29 at 1 p.m. ET.
The White House launched the “Making Health Care Better” series in spring 2016 to highlight the significant progress made in improving health and the health system over the past seven years, and to discuss current activities both inside and outside the Administration as well as the work that is left to do. Previous events included discussions on diabetes, mental health and cardiovascular health.
Today’s agenda follows:
Welcome Remarks
Michael Botticelli, Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Introduction and Remarks by: Bob Turner, Private Sector Co-Chair, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Senior Vice President-Ret, Union Pacific Corporation
Panel I: Progress on Implementation of the 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP)
Moderator: Dr. Jerry Reed, Education Development Center, Vice President & Director, Center for the Study and Prevention of Injury, Violence and Suicide
Dr. David Shulkin, Under Secretary, Veterans Health Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs
Mary Smith, Principal Deputy Director, Indian Health Service
Becky Stoll, Vice President, Crisis & Disaster Management, Centerstone
Amy Loudermilk, MSW, Associate Director of Government Affairs, The Trevor Project
Dr. Virna Little, Senior Vice President, Psychosocial Services and Community Affairs, Institute for Family Health
Dr. Richard McKeon, Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, SAMHSA
Dr. James Churchill, Ph.D., Senior Advisor to the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health
Video Presentation: BeThere
Introduction and Remarks by: Dr. Keita Franklin, Director, Defense Suicide Prevention Office, United States Department of Defense
Panel II: Incorporating the Voice of Lived Experience into National Prevention Efforts
Moderator: Dr. John Draper, Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Dr. DeQuincy A. Lezine, CEO, Prevention Communities, Fresno, CA
Diana Cortez Yanez, Lived Experience Consultant, Seattle, WA
Leah Harris, Faculty, Zero Suicide Academy & CEO, Shifa Consulting, Arlington, VA
Kim Ruocco Chief, External Relations Officer, Suicide Prevention and Postvention, Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS), Washington, DC
Heidi Bryan, Founder, Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council, and Co-founder of Pennsylvania Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition, Neenah, WI
Jessica Lynn Caudle, Member, Board of Directors, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s North Texas Chapter, Mansfield, TX
Closing Remarks
Introduction and Remarks by: Dr. Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Organizational Excellence, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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