Page 33 - Suicidology - 2023 Program Book

Widening the Lens: Learning From Five Years of Resistance, Progress, and Intentional
Social Justice and Racial Equity Efforts in a Suicide Prevention Organization
(Columbia Hotel Main Lobby)
Presented by Pata Suyemoto, PhD, Associate Director of Equity, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) and Jen Kelliher, BA, Managing Director, Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention
Learned about MCSP’s equity process over the past five years, including the writing and implementation of a racial equity toolkit. We will discuss the intention of our equity efforts and the resistance that we encountered along the way, as well as the progress that we made through those efforts. This workshop will demonstrate that wherever an organization starts from equity is not only possible but beneficial.
Through the “case study” of MCSP, participants will understand some foundational equity concepts and a basic framework for change. They will see how equity work is a process and how progress is made and built on over time. Participants will also leave the workshop with concrete strategies for bringing equity into their organizations and communities and will understand how to set and assess progress on the equity goals that will benefit their organizations.
In Person CEs: 1.0 CME, APA, NBCC, NASW Live Stream CEs: 1.0 CME, APA, NBCC, NASW
12:00pm – 1:00pm Closing Session - Building A Culture of Equity in Suicide Prevention (Ballroom LL1) Presented by Victor Armstrong, MSW, Chief Diversity Officer, RI International
Equity has become a major topic of discussion of late, but without intentionality, equity can become nothing more than
a trendy topic. There are unique challenges faced by historically marginalized communities as it pertains to suicide prevention. Discuss the importance of embedding equity into the work of suicide prevention, including defining the objective, identifying the essential elements, and exploring the challenges and pitfalls in applying the “lens of equity” both within an organization and within a system.
In Person CEs: 1.0 CME, APA, NBCC, NASW Live Stream CEs: 1.0 CME, APA, NBCC, NASW
1:00pm Closing Remarks by AAS President & CEO Leeann Sherman, MPS, CAE
conference agenda
continued on next page
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