Abstract
The Hope Squad Program:
Addressing Suicide Prevention and Untreated Mental Illness
Each year, more than 44,000 Americans die from suicide, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the country. The prevalence of suicide among American Indians and Alaska Natives is even higher than within the general population.
This webinar will feature the Hope Squad Program, a school-based peer advocate program that is working to prevent suicide and decrease the incidence of untreated mental illness in at-risk youth. The Hope Squad is a peer support team in a school community that partners with local mental health agencies to identify and refer at-risk peers. Hope Squad members are trained to watch for at-risk students, provide friendship, identify suicide warning signs, and always seek help from adults.
The webinar will cover the history and creation of the program, how the program is implemented, ways in which the program has been successful, and reasons for implementing a Hope Squad in your school or community. Hope Squads are currently reducing self-destructive behavior and youth suicide by training, skills building, and creating change in over 200 schools and communities. The Hope Squad Program is working in American Indian and Alaska Native communities in Alaska, Oklahoma, and Utah.
During the webinar, the presenter will:
1) Provide an introduction to suicide statistics and suicide prevention research;
2) Share in-depth knowledge of the Hope Squad school-based peer advocate program;
3) Help attendees understand the theory behind the Hope Squad Program and how it is successful at increasing help-seeking behaviors and reducing suicide incidence; and
4) Aid attendees in learning the benefits their community can receive by implementing a Hope Squad program.
Speaker Biography
 Dr. Gregory A. Hudnall
Dr. Gregory A. Hudnall is a former high school principal, student service director, and associate superintendent with the Provo City School District. He is the founder and Executive Director of HOPE4UTAH, a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention in Utah. The school-based program “Hope Squads” has been responsible for over 1,000 students referred for help. Dr. Hudnall has been involved with suicide prevention for the past twenty years and has personally been involved with more than 50 suicides as a first responder or consultant.
In July 2015, Dr. Hudnall was invited by Dr. David Jones from the White House to participate in a national webinar on African Americans and suicide in the United States. He was invited to testify before the US Surgeon General on suicide in Utah and has trained over 40,000 Utah residents in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Dr. Hudnall was invited by the US Department of Health and Human Services to present in Washington, D.C. on the Circles4HOPE community mental health model at the “Dialogue on Behavior Health and Community Resilience in LDS Communities”. HOPE4UTAH was chosen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to receive assistance in developing long-term research and evaluation.
Dr. Hudnall has been an Adjunct Professor for Brigham Young University for the past 15 years and was named as Adjunct Professor of the Year. He is a board member of the national Faith Communities Task Force National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. Dr. Hudnall is recognized across the country and is considered as one of Utah’s leading experts in community- and school-based suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. If you've never used Adobe Connect, get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html |
