ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) — Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) has announced an upcoming community event sponsored by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition. This educational town hall will focus on youth mental health, wellness, and suicide prevention, inviting community members to engage in meaningful discussions.

The Youth Mental Health & Wellness Community Town Hall will take place on Saturday, October 5th, from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM at the Tompkins County Public Library (101 E. Green St, Ithaca), specifically in the Borg Warner Room. This event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments provided. Free parking will be available at Family & Children’s Services of Ithaca, located behind their office at 127 W. State St, off N. Geneva St. To help manage attendance and communicate any changes, registration is encouraged at: https://bit.ly/4gsfGr6.

The first half of the event, from 1 PM to 2:20 PM, will feature brief Ted-talk style presentations, followed by a Q&A session. Notable speakers include Melanie Little, Director of Training and Peer Education at the Mental Health Association of Tompkins County, and Tiffany Bloss, Executive Director of Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County. Additionally, School Psychologist and Author Shawn Goodman will share insights from their book How to Survive Your Parents, while Nicole Roulstin, Call Center Manager at 211 Tompkins/Cortland, will discuss available community resources.

From 2:25 PM to 3:30 PM, Pat Breux, formerly of the Suicide Prevention Center of New York, will present on school initiatives across the state, followed by youth sharing their personal stories of resilience and recovery.

Community organization representatives will be present to answer questions about their programs and provide valuable resources. Attendees will also receive an informational care package, and there will be a designated space for anyone seeking support or wanting to engage in self-care activities.

A complete schedule of the event can be found here. The event is flexible, allowing attendees to join as their schedules permit, and youth alongside their caregivers are strongly encouraged to participate.

The Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition is a collective of health agencies, community organizations, and dedicated individuals focused on preventing suicide in our community. Inspired by The Watershed Declaration of 2017, the coalition seeks to foster collaboration and diverse representation in its efforts to promote mental health awareness and resources. For more information, visit the coalition’s page on the Tompkins County website.