By Mary O’KEEFE

USC Verdugo Hills Hospital holds many outreach events throughout the year and like many organizations is adapting to the new normal as a way of life. For the past four years the hospital has been hosting a conference to bring awareness to the issues of suicide and mental health and to share resources. During the current pandemic, holding this conference was perhaps even more important.

On Saturday, Sept. 12 speakers not only shared their professional knowledge but also attempted to lift the veil to share personal stories as to why these issues are so important for them and for the community.

The conference was hosted by Dr. Clifford Feldman, clinical director, USC VHH Geropsychiatric Program. Speakers were State Senator Anthony Portantino, Candace Yoder, executive director Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation, and Dr. Steven H. Woof, director emeritus VCU Center on Society and Health. Each speaker shared their area of expertise, answering tough questions about signs given by those who are thinking of self-harm including suicide, and working on removing the societal stigma of talking about mental health.

Portantino spoke about bills, both passed and proposed for the future, that are focusing on mental health. These include SB803 that lawmakers are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign. The bill creates a state certification for mental health care providers known as peer support specialist.

The senator has been a longtime proponent of suicide awareness; in 2018 he authored suicide prevention legislation SB972 that required public, charter and private schools to print the National Suicide Prevention Hotline telephone number on all student identification cards for grades seven through college.

Yoder from Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation spoke of what she has found in her practice and in the foundation. Matthew Silverman was an 18-year-old man who died by suicide in 2006. His family formed the Foundation with the goal of opening a dialogue on mental health among youth, parents and educators, according to the Foundation website.

Yoder said that the “stigma” of mental health problems plays an important role as to why people do not seek help. She spoke of warning signs given by those thinking of suicide.

“Four out of five people who attempt [suicide] have given warning signs,” she said.

Dr. Woof spoke about the change in the mortality rate in midlife shown in a study conducted from 1999 to 2016. The study found an increase in midlife mortality among non-Hispanic [NH] Whites as well as [NH] American Indians and Alaskan Natives. And although the mortality rate had been decreasing for NH Blacks, Hispanics and NH Asian and Pacific Islanders, it began to rise again from 2009 to 2011. Some of the reasons for the rise in midlife mortality included an increase in many health and mental health issues, like drug overdoses, hypertensive diseases and obesity.

“That death rates are increasing throughout the U.S. population for dozens of conditions and signals a systemic cause and warrants prompt action by policy makers to tackle the factors responsible for declining health in the U.S.,” concluded the study of which he was one of the authors.

Those attending the conference broke into groups to have one-on-one follow-up conversations on what they had heard and shared their opinions on what more needed to be done.

The in-person event held last year had been so well attended that hospital organizers ran out of seats. Being online makes attendance available to all.

“We already have 250 people signed up to attend,” said CEO Keith Hobbs prior to the Saturday event. “It is such an important topic.”

Hobbs added when a family member or friend dies by suicide it impacts the entire circle of family and friends for years and the conference focused on prevention and how family and friends can be aware of signs of a person in distress.

Although USC-VHH has held this conference in years past, it may be even more important to host again during the time of the pandemic with several states reporting increased calls to suicide hotlines.

The second part of the conference begins at 9 a.m. on Sept. 26. During this conference the speakers will include Ruth Golden, a documentary filmmaker. She is the producer of “The Silent Goldens” that is about her mother’s death by suicide.

Also on Sept. 26, Dr. Paul Kurkjian, USC-VHH psychiatrist, will oversee a panel discussion on at-risk sub-populations that include the elderly, veterans, under-served communities, LGBTQ and teenagers. As in the previous weekend conference there will be breakout discussions after the panel discussion.

To sign-up, visit uscvhh.org.

  Mary Okeefe