On Friday November 8, 2013 Dr. David Goldbloom will be the keynote speaker at the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition’s Annual Meeting and Community Workshop. The event is open to everyone and will focus on reducing the stigma associated with mental health and suicide. Stigma is a significant barrier for individuals and families to seek available help, and the Coalition hopes the workshop will help break the silence for residents in Halton.
Dr. David Goldbloom is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Along with his writing and speaking achievements, he maintains an active clinical and teaching role at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health where he serves as Senior Medical Advisor. He is also Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Attendees will also hear from Sandy Naiman, a mental health advocate and a spokesperson for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s “Mental Health Works” program since its inception. Ms. Naiman will speak to her personal psychiatric history that drives her life in recovery.
Following the workshop, the Coalition will be offering a free safeTALK training session, which helps participants become “suicide alert”, which means recognizing people with thoughts of suicide; engaging them and connecting them to further help. Attendees will also receive resources on suicide prevention and intervention.
"The Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition continues to work hard in our community raising awareness about suicide and advocating for those who need support,” said Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr. “The workshop is an excellent opportunity to build on the great work already happening in Halton, and learn from the insights of experts and individual stories.”
The annual meeting and community workshop is being held at Oakville Conference Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road, Oakville (off Bronte Road just south of the QEW). A networking breakfast will start at 8:30 a.m. with the meeting agenda to follow from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. There is no charge but an RSVP is required. The safeTALK session will be held at the Halton Regional Centre, 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Spaces are limited. To register for either the meeting or the safeTALK session, please email accesshalton@halton.ca or dial 311 or 905-825-6000.
For more information about the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition, please visitwww.suicidepreventionhalton.ca
The Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition provides leadership, advocacy, and education to the Halton community on suicide, prevention and community needs. The coalition is a loose-knit collaboration of some 30 Halton organizations and agencies as well as interested individuals and survivors of suicide throughout the Region. Membership is open to all individuals and organizations concerned about suicide awareness, prevention, intervention, and postvention in Halton Region.