Suicide Prevention Summit to feature mental healthcare experts

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – In October, Clarksville will host a community focused suicide prevention summit featuring a host of speakers with experience in health care delivery to service members and veterans.

#BeThere Clarksville, A Life-Saving Summit for Service Members, Veterans, Families and Our Community, will be held on October 3 at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center from 9 a.m-2 p.m. Community members and caregivers from all walks of life — especially service members, veterans and their families — are invited to attend.

This free event is sponsored by the Clarksville Suicide Prevention Alliance, a group working to prevent suicide by promoting a comprehensive public health approach that empowers the Clarksville-Montgomery County community to take action.

The keynote speaker will be Jodie Robison, Centerstone Executive Director for Military Services. With more than 20 years of behavioral health and management experience, she served as the Lead Clinician for the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone and previously as Director of Clinical Services for Centerstone’s Military Services.

Also speaking at #BeThere Clarksville is Monty Burks, Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Col. Patrick T. Birchfield, commander of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell and Rob Campbell, Chief Mental Health Officer of the VA’s MidSouth Healthcare Network.

#BeThere Clarksville will serve to introduce the community to the Clarksville Suicide Prevention Alliance and to kick off its efforts to reduce suicide through effective messaging, caregiver training, crisis intervention and data gathering and analysis. A longer-term goal is to establish structure and funding for a full-time community suicide prevention coordinator.

The event will include panel discussions and booths staffed by veterans advocacy and service organizations. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. Courtesy registration is available online at http://bit.ly/2kdRRfF.