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Mood follows food. Extensive research in neuroscience demonstrates that emotional and neurocognitive dysfunction emerge from the gut-brain axis. Societal systems deny food’s significance on mental health and suicidality. This presentation will be an overview of the critical basics of nutrition and mental health neuroscience, integrated interventions to consider, and advocacy toward our communities to thrive in modernity. 

The Zero Suicide Framework provides a comprehensive approach to patient safety and quality improvement and supports staff who are providing care in health and behavioral health care systems.  Learn how this framework was utilized to strategically support staff and develop policies to effectively implement universal suicide screenings across three departments involved in student care (health care, counseling, and case management).  The presentation will include lessons learned and the results of measures used to evaluate the program’s impact. 

Collaborative tabletop storytelling games such as Dungeons & Dragons can foster belonging, empathy, and inclusive participation in classrooms and beyond. This session explores how structured collaborative storytelling spaces support protective social connectedness, particularly for isolated and marginalized youth, and offers practical strategies for creating safe communities that promote resilience and thriving. 

Talk Saves Lives: Supporting Our Veterans is a one-hour, evidence-informed suicide prevention program developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This presentation equips participants with practical tools to recognize suicide risk among veterans, understand contributing and protective factors, and confidently engage in supportive conversations. Attendees will learn how to connect veterans to resources in ways that respect autonomy and foster hope. 

The caregiver of suicidality is often overlooked despite experiencing increased caregiver burden and also increased mental health risk themselves. This session equips attendees with research-informed strategies to recognize increased caregiver burden, improve support systems for families, and strengthen suicide prevention efforts through increased awareness, connection, and practical strategies.

Animals and humans have a powerful ability to connect with one another and have various mental health benefits.  This workshop will discuss relevant research on the benefits of the human-animal connection and how it helps with our well-being and building a sense of purpose and reason to live. She will explain the common confusion surrounding differences between a therapy animal, an emotional support animal, and a service animal. 

In today’s complex prevention landscape, true progress requires more than good intentions; it demands strategic, sustained partnerships. Yet, coalitions and organizations often struggle to move beyond surface-level collaboration. This session explores how to strengthen cross-sector partnerships by addressing common barriers such as turf issues, trust deficits, and siloed efforts. Participants will examine the Partnership Continuum and gain practical strategies to build alignment and long-term impact.