McHenry County Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Recovery Conference
Friday, September 9, 2022 | 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
McHenry County College Luecht Auditorium
8900 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, IL

4.5 Free CEU's & complimentary lunch provided
(IAODAPCA included)

Join us for the 6th Annual Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Recovery Conference. This event is a collaborative effort between the McHenry County Mental Health Board and the McHenry County Suicide Prevention Task Force which focuses on suicide prevention, 
mental health and substance abuse. 

Who Should Attend: Mental/Behavioral Healthcare Providers, School Professionals, Law Enforement, First Responders, survivors of suicide, individuals seeking rousources for themselves, residents interested in resources to help others. ALL are encouraged to attend! The conference will provide a space for professionals & the community to discuss their concerns, successes, and challenges, and share tools and best practices.

If conference space capacity should become limited, priority status is given to individuals who reside in McHenry County or are employed within McHenry County.

Featured Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas

Clinical psychologist, inspirational speaker, podcaster, and impact entrepreneur, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas began her innovative work in suicide prevention after her brother died of suicide. Known as an innovator in social change, Spencer-Thomas has helped start multiple large-scale, gap-filling efforts in mental health, including the award-winning Man Therapy campaign and work as lead author of the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention. She currently serves as executive secretary for the American Association of Suicidology and president of United Suicide Survivors International.

Breakout Session Descriptions and Presenter Bios

8:15 - 8:50 am | Check-in - Exhibitors open 

8:50 - 9:00 am | Opening Remarks | Leonetta Rizzi | McHenry County Mental Health Board Executive Director  

9:00 - 10:30 am | Keynote Presentation | Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas 
"The Eye of the Survivor: Why Storytelling Matters in Suicide Prevention"

10:30 - 10:45 am | Break - Exhibitors open

10:45 - 11:45 am | Breakout Session I - 4 concurrent breakouts

• Diverse Identities and Mental Wellness - Tatyana Fertelmeyster, LCPC
• Running a Grief Support Group - Stephanie Strumberger, MA, LCPC, and Gary Rukin, LPC
• Suicide and the LGBTQ+ Community - Brianna Sorensen, LCSW, CADC, and Anissa Garcia, LPC
• Supporting Youth Voices Panel - Dr. Melissa Katz

11:45 - 12:45 pm | Complimentary lunch - Exhibitors open 

12:45 - 1:45 pm | Breakout Session II - 4 concurrent breakouts

• Mens Mental Health: Using Humor, Media, and Digital Engagement to Promote Mental Health and Prevent Suicide for High Risk Men - Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas
• Ensuring Resilience: Guiding Others through Trauma While Caring for the Self - Judy Pasternack, BSN, RN, NPD-NC
• Supporting Youth Voices Panel (repeat breakout) - Dr. Melissa Katz 
• Walking a Mile in Very Different Shoes - Tatyana Fertelmeyster, LCPC

• Up on the High Wire: Cultivating Mental Resiliency to Get Us through Tough Times -
  Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas 
• The Relationship between Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health: Looking Beyond
  Co-occurring Diagnosis - Laura Crain and Rick Atwater, MS, LCPC
• The Value of Connections in Substance Use Disorder Recovery - Tom Farley
   

   

Special Accomodations