University of Connecticut Interpreting Services (UCIS) present:
*Mental Health and Suicide Prevention from a Deaf Perspective*
A discussion with Deaf professionals
Thursday September 30th
4 - 6pm (ET)
As part of the University of Connecticut’s Suicide Prevention Week, join us for a moderated virtual discussion about mental health and intersectionality, from a Deaf perspective. People from marginalized communities experience disproportionate mental health diagnoses, and the suicide rate among these communities reflect similar data. Many of us are members of these groups in some way: we may be Deaf and Hard of Hearing, have visible or invisible disabilities, we may identify as LGBTQ+, or find our BIPOC identities adding to the risk factors we face trying to navigate community and resources. Our goal with this event is to foster conversations about how to tap into existing support networks and build new ones to keep ourselves and those we love safe. Feel free to ask honest questions without fear of reprisal. This is an inclusive space and we welcome all.
Panelists:
* Dru Balsley, LMHC
is currently Senior Clinician at The Learning Center for the Deaf Walden School residential program. In comparison to other cultures and populations both trauma and language deprivation are significantly higher within the deaf community, and based on her own personal experiences and challenges with the therapeutic system, Dru has made it her mission to be able to provide trauma-informed care to adolescents who need it in their native language. Within her current role, Dru provides both individual and family therapy, develops and provides in-house trainings for staff members, and acts as an agency liaison specializing in deaf services.
* Dr. Sanjay Gulati, MD
is a child psychiatrist and a specialist in Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program. He graduated from the Eastern Virginia Medical School Medical College in 1988. He works in Cambridge, MA and specializes in Psychiatry. He is affiliated with Cambridge Hospital. He also is the Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is well known for the groundbreaking presentation on “Language Deprivation Syndrome” as hosted by Brown University in 2014.
* Sara Dugas, LSW
currently works at the Department of Mental Health, serving as Coordinator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Human Services
* Terrylene Sacchetti
(BIO - COMING SOON)
Moderated by:
* Tandy Lewis Penny
(BIO - COMING SOON)
REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Register to access the panel here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rfWeZlIuQyevrEF7rL8vIA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Open to the public:
ASL-English Interpreters will be interpreting between ASL and English so all participants can communicate freely.
The panelists will primarily be using ASL.
This event will also be live captioned.
For any questions, Please email UCIS@uconn.edu
#UConnSuicidePrevention
#Wearestrongertogether
For more information, contact: Audrey Silva at ucis@uconn.edu