Suicide Prevention through Gun Safety

Last year, about 48,000 people (more than twice the seating capacity of TD Garden) died due to firearms in the U.S. – an all-time high. More than half of those deaths were suicides. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month and in response to escalating gun violence in the U.S., panelists from DeeDee’s Cry, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, the MGH Center for Gun Violence Prevention, and Samaritans will discuss connections between access to firearms and suicide risk. Attendees will learn to recognize warning signs of suicide, hear about current firearm safety policy in Massachusetts, and discover future directions for advocacy on these issues in Massachusetts.

This Zoom webinar is free and open to the public. The program will be recorded and sent to all who register.

Panelists:

Toy Burton, Founder and Executive Director, DeeDee’s Cry

Gretchen Fischer Felopulos, Ph.D., Education/Training Lead, MGH Center for Gun Violence Prevention

Kacy C. Maitland, LICSW, Chief Clinical Officer, Samaritans

Ruth Zakarin, Executive Director, Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence