OREM, Utah — The Utah Valley University (UVU) College of Humanities and Social Sciences, along with its partners and sponsors, will host the annual UVU Conference on Suicide Prevention on Friday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in a format that includes in-person and virtual options.

This annual conference is a single-day event designed to explore solutions, raise awareness, and create a proactive approach to suicide prevention by providing education and access to resources.

In 2019, Utah was ranked as the sixth-highest state in the U.S. for suicide rate per capita. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Utah lost more than 600 people to suicide that year.

“Our goal is to help provide resources to the community. A core value of UVU is that of exceptional care. We invite people to ‘come as you are’ and let them know that ‘UVU has a place for you.’ The suicide prevention conference provides the community with an opportunity to begin a dialogue and engage in these essential conversations,” said Toni Harris, assistant dean of administration in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The 2021 conference will feature a keynote from Anne Moss Rogers, a TEDx storyteller, certified suicide prevention trainer, NAMI Virginia board member, and the award-winning author of Diary of a Broken Mind. She has been featured in The New York Times and was the first suicide loss survivor ever invited to speak at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Rheeda Walker will present the afternoon plenary session. Dr. Walker is an award-winning professor of psychology, a fellow in the American Psychological Association, and a leading scholar who has published more than 60 scientific papers on African American mental health, suicide risk, and emotional resilience. She has made numerous appearances on Good Morning America, The Breakfast Club radio show, NPR, and more.

In addition to the keynote and plenary session, the program will include multiple concurrent sessions intended to help participants discover options and resources and experience healing and hope.

General tickets to the event are $75, and tickets for current UVU students are free. Paid registration includes lunch, parking (for those attending in person), access to the virtual portal, and all conference materials. Participants may also earn continuing education units towards professional licensure at no additional cost. 

To register or learn more, please visit theUVU Conference on Suicide Prevention.