*Roundtable: The Intersection of Suicide Prevention and Disaster Behavioral Health

Abstract: When disaster strikes, it disrupts the ecosystem of the individual and community. Support systems and the basic care structures are shaken, leaving those who are most highly impacted more vulnerable to developing mental health concerns such depression and even suicide. Hear from leaders in suicide prevention including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Disaster Distress Helpline and disaster behavioral health clinicians on nationwide efforts to decrease suicide rates and address diverse communities most at risk in the aftermath of both natural and human caused disasters.

Host

Christian Burgess

• Pronouns: he/him/his
• Title: Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline
• Bio: Based in Gresham, Oregon, Christian Burgess, MSW, is Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration administered by the not-for-profit Vibrant Emotional Health. Christian became Director of the DDH in 2012, helping to launch the program, after having joined Vibrant in 2010 as the Training Coordinator for the Oil Spill Distress Helpline project. The DDH is the only crisis hotline national in scope and dedicated to providing 24/7/365 support for survivors and responders of natural or human-caused disasters. Immediately prior to his work at Vibrant, Christian worked for over 10 years in youth violence prevention and trauma intervention in New York City, including as Director of School Programs at Safe Horizon, one of the nation's largest service providers for victims of crime & abuse. Christian ran his 15th marathon in November 2022, the Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., and is working on running a half-marathon in every state.

Panelists

Kelly Clarke

• Pronouns: she/her/hers
• Job Title: Vice President, 988 Suicide and Crisis Line
• Bio: Kelly Clarke (she/her) is the Vice President, 988 Suicide and Crisis Line at Vibrant Emotional Health. Prior to this she was the Director of NYC Well, New York City’s 24/7/365 behavioral health helpline which responded to over 30,000 calls/texts/chats per month.  Kelly has worked across a range of services that focus on improving access to behavioral health care for individuals.
  She is a registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and has worked throughout Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in mental health, substance misuse, child protection, veteran issues and suicide prevention. Kelly serves on a variety of boards and advisory groups including as a Board Member and Accreditor for the International Council for Helplines.

Olivia Stein

• Pronouns: they/them/theirs
• Job Title: Director of Videophone Crisis Line Services at DeafLEAD
• Bio: Olivia Stein, MSW, is the Director of Videophone Crisis Line Services at DeafLEAD, Columbia, Missouri. They manage two videophone hotlines, with one of them being the Disaster Distress Helpline - Videophone (DDH VP). They are a life-long Deaf individual who appreciates and values ongoing direct communication, collaboration, and connection for the diverse, inclusive Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) community. Their main goals are to be a continuous advocate in reducing systemic barriers, and ensuring resources are made accessible and provided for the D/HH, especially resources that focuses on mental health and disaster crisis care. Olivia currently finds themselves settling along the Front Range of Colorado. Olivia is the third generation of their family who is Deaf and communicates using American Sign Language. When they are not at work, you can often find them enjoying the outdoors, and spending quality time with their family.

Jamie Brill

• Pronouns: he/they
• Job Title: Call Center Director
• Bio: Jamieson Brill, LMSW is the Call Center Director of Community Crisis Services, inc. (CCSI) in Hyattsville, Maryland. He oversees CCSI’s crisis hotline and crisis chat programs. He has worked at crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotlines since 2013 and received his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2020. Some of his passions within his work include supporting LGBTQ+ youth as well as empowering adults in recovery from substance use disorders.
• https://www.communitycrisis.org/
• Community Crisis Services Facebook
• Community Crisis Services Twitter
• Community Crisis Services Instagram

Lanada Williams

• Title: Deputy Director Access Helpline, Department of Behavioral Health
• Bio: Lanada Williams was born in St. Louis, MO. She has worked for the Department of Behavioral Health for over 10 years serving in different roles, the most current being the 988 Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Deputy Director of Access Helpline, and co-chair of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center Community of Practice and 988 Coalition.

  Lanada Williams is a licensed psychotherapist (MD/DC/NJ) with expertise in trauma and a trained SafeTalk facilitator for the past 15 years, she has specialized in conflict, trauma, crisis management, and major transitions.  Lanada is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Northern Atlantic Region Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, and DC Mental Health Counselor Association. Lanada also serves as the chair of the Board of Directors for No More Martyrs a mental health awareness campaign that seeks to build a community of support for Black women.  Through a partnership with the Black Women’s Health Imperative, No More Martyrs was proud to launch ‘Sister Speak’, an initiative that will build awareness about suicide and Black women.  Sister Speak highlights risk factors and warning signs of suicide as well as provides strategies on how to offer healthy support to someone at risk of suicide.