COURSE DESCRIPTION
During this webinar, prevention experts at Carnevale Associates, LLC, Josh Esrick, MPP, and Emily Patton, MSc, will explore the data and research on the intersection of substance use and suicide and cover identified evidence-based substance use prevention programs that address risk of suicide, and potential opportunities for collaborations that exist. Mr. Esrick will discuss the research on substance use and the increased risk of suicide. He will also summarize the prevalence and trend data that capture the changes over time. Ms. Patton will present the evidence-based programs for addressing shared substance use and suicide risk. She offers significant professional experience in the fields of public policy development and analysis, criminaljustice research, data collection and analysis, program development, and performance management.
The ongoing, increasing rate of suicide across the United States is a major public health concern. Research shows that substance use can increase suicidal ideation and suicide risk, making it a relevant issue across the behavioral health continuum. Many who die by suicide share risk factors as people living with a substance use disorder, especially opioid or alcohol use disorders. Prevention professionals across behavioral health fields should collaborate to reduce the prevalence of both issues.
PRESENTERS
Josh Esrick, MPP is the Chief of Training and Technical Assistance at Carnevale Associates, LLC. Mr. Esrick has over ten years of experience researching, writing, evaluating, and presenting on substance use prevention and other behavioral health topics. He is an expert in providing training and technical assistance (TTA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of TTA products for numerous clients, including six of SAMHSA’s ten regional Prevention Technology Transfer Centers (PTTCs), the PTTC Network Coordinating Office, the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) and Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers (MHTTC), and SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT). These trainings and products have covered a wide range of topics, including strategic planning, data collection and analysis, and identifying evidence-based prevention interventions for youth. In addition to TTA, Mr. Esrick has directly provided many of these services to behavioral health agencies and other entities. He has published several academic journal articles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University.
Emily Patton, MSc., Pg.Dip., is a Senior Research Associate with Carnevale Associates, LLC. She offers over ten years of expertise in data analysis, project management, and program evaluation. Under the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), she provides data analysis, programmatic support, and training and technical assistance (TTA) for multiple contracts that serve youth and families in the district with a particular focus on substance abuse and mental health. Ms. Patton also serves as a research associate with SAMHSA’s Central East Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), wherein she provides expertise in substance use prevention, mental health, and program management. While serving on this project, she has researched and written numerous PTTC literature reviews on topics such as suicide prevention and opioid use, developed over a dozen different infographics, and co-authored several reports on substance use prevention topics. She has also co-presented on at least 45 webinars on topics ranging from substance use trends to knowledge translation. Emily holds a Master of Science in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology from Swansea University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Edinburgh.