
We are excited to announce the speakers and schedule have been released for this year's summit. See more information below. Join us Tuesday 2/14 and Thursday, 2/16.
Keynote Speakers
We are honored to have these world-renowned researchers sharing their insight and expertise with us. Join us to learn more from these leaders in our field. ​
2023 Virtual Summit
The theme for this year's summit is "Understanding Suicide Risk in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults."
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We have distinguished speakers from Columbia and other institutions sharing their insights, knowledge, and research findings.
As always, this event is free. Register here.
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The summit is being led once again by our Center's co-directors, Dr. John Mann and Dr. Randy Auerbach.


Day 1 Keynote Presentation:
Saving Holden Caulfield: Long and Short-term Strategies for Preventing Youth Suicide
David Brent, MD
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
[more on Dr. Brent's keynote presentation here]
Depression Center Co-Directors

Day 2 Keynote Presentation:
Social and Biological Underpinnings of Disparities in Risk for Suicidal Behavior and Strategies to Reduce These Disparities
Nadine M. Melhem, PhD
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
[more on Dr. Melhem's keynote presentation here]

Schedule - Day 1 (Feb. 14)
(Note: all times listed are NYC/est.)
Keynote: Saving Holden Caulfield: Long-term and Short-term Strategies for Suicide Prevention
9:00 - 9:50am
David A. Brent, MD
Holden Caulfield hopes to catch kids playing “in a field of rye” as they fall off of a cliff. Our approach to suicide prevention in youth is analogous—we have all our ambulances at the base of the cliff. We will talk about four broad approaches to youth suicide prevention that improve upon catching youth as they fall off of a cliff.
They are:​
(1) put a fence around the cliff (method restriction);
(2) go where the kids are (improve access to care through collaborative care);
(3) lead kids away from the cliff (evidence-based preventive interventions); and
(4) change the rules of the game (health system change).
These are all approaches that are feasible to implement now. We do have the potential to reduce the suicide rate if we have the will to implement these evidenced based approaches.
Session 1: Suicide Prevention in Youth
10:00 - 11:20am
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Leveraging technology to assess and intervene with adolescents at risk for suicide
Ewa Czyz, PhD
The prevention of suicide deaths and related outcomes in youth, including non-lethal attempts and suicidal thoughts, is an urgent public health priority. The pervasiveness of mobile phones has paved the way for near- or real-time assessment of suicidal thoughts and related risk states (via intensive longitudinal assessments) and delivery of interventions that can be sensitive to individuals' changing risk levels. Using data from high-risk adolescent samples, this presentation will highlight what intensive longitudinal assessments can tell us about:
(1) near-term change patterns in adolescents’ suicidal thoughts,
(2) identifying proximal elevations in suicidal thinking and related crises, as well as
(3) informing suicide-focused interventions.
Challenges and opportunities in context of youth suicide prevention will be considered.
Measuring Adolescent Suicide Ideation Subtypes: Implications for Risk
Regina Miranda, PhD
This presentation will address the measurement and classification of adolescent suicide ideation subtypes as a way of improving assessment of short-term risk of future suicide attempts.
Novel Approaches to Detect Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents
Randy P. Auerbach, PhD, ABPP
Presently, there is a public health crisis, as rates of suicide continue to increase among young people. Directly addressing this issue, Dr. Auerbach will present data from projects using intensive longitudinal designs—inclusive of experience sampling and mobile sensor data—to predict the emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Future directions will focus on potential clinical tools that can be developed and implemented across a range of clinical settings.
Break
11:20am - 11:30am
Session 2: Advancements in Treatment for Suicidal Behavior
11:30am - 12:50pm
Reducing Suicide Risk by Providing Adolescents Strategies to Improve the Health of Emotion Regulation Brain Circuitry
Hilary Blumberg, MD
Dr. Blumberg will present multimodal neuroimaging evidence supporting a key role for alterations in the brain circuitry that subserves emotion regulation in suicide risk in adolescents with mood disorders. She will discuss results from a program of research, Brain Emotion Circuitry-Targeted Self-Monitoring and Regulation Therapy (BE-SMART), that provide evidence that providing adolescents strategies that enhance emotion regulation can reduce suicide risk. A focus will be on the beneficial effects of regularizing sleep patterns and other daily rhythms.
Targeting Social Connections in Multi-Component Treatments for Youth Suicide Risk
Cheryl King, PhD
This presentation will review converging empirical evidence arguing for the importance of belongingness and connectedness to youth suicide risk and prevention. The Youth-Nominated Support Team intervention (YST), which builds an informed, supportive network of adults around youth at risk, will then be described, including results from a long-term mortality outcomes study. Next steps will be discussed briefly.
Decreasing Suicide Risk Among Youth with Bipolar Disorder
Tina Goldstein, PhD
Dr. Goldstein will present data on suicide outcomes from a large randomized controlled trial of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for adolescents with bipolar disorder. Mechanisms of treatment response will be discussed, along with implications for personalized psychosocial treatment recommendations for this high-risk population, including a data-driven risk calculator for near-term suicide risk that can be implemented in clinical practice. Future directions from cost effectiveness to neural mechanisms will be discussed.
Audience feedback and Concluding Remarks
12:50 -1:00pm
Schedule - Day 2 (Thurs., Feb. 16)
(Note: all times listed are NYC/est.)
Keynote: Social and Biological Underpinnings of Disparities in Risk for Suicidal Behavior and Strategies to Reduce These Disparities
9:00 - 9:50am
Nadine M. Melhem, MD
During this keynote presentation, the following will be shared:
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A review epidemiological evidence of disparities in risk for suicidal behavior and the social underpinnings of these disparities in terms of exposure to adversity, less access to care and resources, etc.
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Present on the biological impact of adversity on risk for suicidal behavior
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Present on strategies to reduce disparities
Session 3: Suicide Prevention in Youth
10:00 - 11:20am
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Ketamine in Prevention of Suicidal Behaviors in Adults; potential for youth and young adults
J. John Mann, MD
Ketamine has been shown in RCTs in adults to produce a rapid and robust antidepressant effect in major depression. It works in younger and older adults, and even in medication-resistant depression. It also produces a robust benefit for suicidal ideation in hours and that benefit is partially explained by cognitive and other effects independent of the antidepressant benefit. As such ketamine may also bring important benefits to adolescents and young adults in terms of depression and suicidal ideation. This presentation will reviewed the available literature with regard to these therapeutic benefits of ketamine extending into younger age groups.
Realizing the potential of social determinants of health to promote mental health equity and reduce youth suicide
Yunyu Xiao, PhD
Suicide is a major public health issue that disproportionately affects marginalized populations. In this talk, I will explore the epidemiological trends of health disparities and suicide, present models of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) from the social sciences, and discuss why integrating the SDoH framework into marketing and biomedical research is essential for improving mental health equity.
I will also introduce different methods for identifying, studying, and addressing SDoH, and present results from interdisciplinary teamwork using electronic health records and large population-based studies to unlock the potential of SDoH to enhance mental health equity.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students – findings from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative
Philippe Mortier, MD, PhD
College students are an important subpopulation of young people at risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). The WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) Initiative is a coordinated series of ongoing epidemiological needs assessment surveys designed to provide accurate information about adverse mental health outcomes among college students worldwide.
In this talk, I will discuss main findings from the WMH-ICS Initiative regarding college student STB, including occurrence, important determinants, and implications for suicide prevention interventions.
Break
11:20am - 11:30am
Session 4: Suicide Prevention Strategies in School Children and the Emergency Department
11:30am - 12:50pm
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Management of suicide risk in young adults
I will review key topics in clinical management of suicide risk in young adults i.e. those approximately in the 18-29 year age range. Examples of topics include: SSRI agitation syndrome/worsened suicidality with antidepressant treatment risks, medication side effects, safety planning, co-occurring substance use, family involvement.
Public health approaches to youth suicide prevention
Holly Wilcox, PhD
In 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death in school-aged children ages 10-18 in the United States. Provisional 2021 suicide data from the CDC show that the overall US suicide rate has decreased but has increased in people of color. Over the past several years, there has been a significant increase in the rate of suicide and suicide ideation and behaviors (SIB) among Black and Latinx youth.
Because the majority of people who die by suicide do so on their first attempt (and a ‘cry for help’ could be fatal), it is essential that sectors serving children such as school systems have clear and robust pathways for identifying and responding to suicide risk.
e-Connect: Use of a digital clinical decisional-support system to effectively identify suicidal behavior, triage and link youth on probation to care
Katherine Elkington, PhD
This presentation will cover the following:
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Briefly describe the epidemiology of suicide thoughts and behaviors in justice-involved youth, and discuss reasons for heightened risk in this population
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Describe state of the field with respect to failure in identification, referral and linkage
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Describe the components of e-Connect (screening, risk classification, triage with specific referral pathways) and present findings from a clinical trial on outcomes
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Discussion of
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use of CDSS in justice system and unintended (positive) impact;
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scaling up and sustaining e-Connect in justice system settings
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extending approach to other youth serving systems that manage vulnerable youth
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Audience feedback and Concluding Remarks
12:50 -1:00pm
Speakers
(Listed alphabetically)
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Randy P. Auerbach, PhD, ABPP
Associate Professor
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University
Division of Clinical Developmental Neuroscience, Sackler Institute
Co-Director, Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression
Director, Translational Research on Affective Disorders and Suicide Laboratory
Director, EEG Core
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Session 1, Day 1: Novel Approaches to Detect Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents
More on Dr. Auerbach (outside link)
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Hilary P. Blumberg, MD
The John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience
Program Director, Mood Disorders Research
Yale School of Medicine
Session 2, Day 1: Reducing Suicide Risk by Providing Adolescents Strategies to Improve the Health of Emotion Regulation Brain Circuitry
More on Dr. Blumberg (outside link)
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David A. Brent, MD
Academic Chief, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Endowed Chair in Suicide Studies
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital
Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics,
Epidemiology & Clinical Translational Science
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Keynote, Day 1: Saving Holden Caulfield: Long-term and Short-term Strategies for Suicide Prevention
More on Dr. Brent (outside link)
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Ewa Czyz, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
University of Michigan
Session 1, Day 1:
More on Dr. Czyz (outside link)
Katherine Elkington, PhD
Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry)
Director, Center for Behavioral Health and Youth Justice
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Session 4, Day 2: e-Connect: Use of a digital clinical decisional-support system to effectively identify suicidal behavior, triage and link youth on probation to care
More on Dr. Elkington (outside link)
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Tina Goldstein, PhD
The Pittsburgh Foundation Endowed Professor in Psychiatry Research
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Western Psychiatric Hospital
Session 2, Day 1: Decreasing Suicide Risk Among Youth with Bipolar Disorder
More on Dr. Goldstein (outside link)
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Michael Grunebaum, MD
Special Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry
Columbia University Medical Center
Research Psychiatrist
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Session 4, Day 2: Management of Suicide Risk in Young Adults
More on Dr. Grunebaum (outside link)
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Cheryl King, PhD
Professor
Department of Psychiatry
University of Michigan
Session 2, Day 1: Targeting Social Connections in Multi-Component Treatments for Youth Suicide Risk
More on Dr. King (outside link)
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J. John Mann, MD
Paul Janssen Professor of Translational Neuroscience in Psychiatry and Radiology
Director, Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, Department of Psychiatry
Co-Director, Columbia Center for Prevention and Treatment of Depression
Session 3, Day 2: Ketamine in Prevention of Suicidal Behaviors in Adults; potential for youth and young adults
More on Dr. Mann (outside link)
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Nadine M. Melhem, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science
Director, Program for the Neurobiology of Stress Response and Suicide
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Keynote, Day 2: Social and Biological Underpinnings of Disparities in Risk for Suicidal Behavior and Strategies to Reduce These Disparities
More on Dr. Melhem (outside link)
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Regina Miranda, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Session 1, Day 1: Measuring Adolescent Suicide Ideation Subtypes: Implications for Risk
More on Dr. Miranda (outside link)
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Philippe Mortier, MD, PhD
Health Services Research Group
Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM)
Barcelona, Spain
Session 3, Day 2: Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students – findings from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative
More on Dr. Mortier (outside link)
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H. Blair Simpson, MD, PhD
Interim Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons 

Interim Director, New York State Psychiatric Institute 

Interim Psychiatrist-in-Chief, NewYork Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Irving Medical Center
More on Dr. Simpson (outside link)
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Jeff Thompson, PhD
Adjunct Associate Research Scientist
Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division
Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression
Department of Psychiatry
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
More on Dr. Thompson (outside link)
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Holly Wilcox, PhD
Professor
Johns Hopkins Schools of Public Health, Medicine and Education
Department of Population Health Sciences
Weill Cornell Medicine
Session 4, Day 2: Our National Strategy for Suicide Prevention should be revised to better address the needs of children, adolescents and young adults
More on Dr. Wilcox (outside link)
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Yunyu Xiao, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Population Health Sciences
Weill Cornell Medicine
Session 3, Day 2: Realizing the potential of social determinants of health to promote mental health equity and reduce youth suicide
More on Dr. Xiao (outside link)
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