Middlesex Area Interagency Council to hold annual meeting

MIDDLETOWN — Middlesex Area Interagency Council will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, June 7 at Wesleyan R.J. Julia Bookstore, 413 Main St., Middletown. A panel discussion on teen suicide is the program, which begins at 8;30 a.m. Registration and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. For information and to register call 860-685-3939.

Adolescents and young adults often experience stress, confusion, and depression from situations occurring in their families, schools, and communities. Such feelings can overwhelm young people and lead them to consider suicide as a “solution.”

Moderator is Kimberly Russo, Executive Director, The Fund for Greater Hartford. The Fund for Greater Hartford is a private foundation that works to improve the lives of children and families of Greater Hartford by investing in their academic and social success. They also support organizations that work directly with children to develop trauma-informed practices in their workplace. Middletown and Cromwell are included in their service area.

Panelist Andrea Iger Duarte, LCSW, MPH, CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services – Ms. Duarte is a Behavioral Health Program Manager in the Prevention and Health Promotion Division of DMHAS. She is also the Suicide Prevention Director, a founding member of the CT Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has served as Co-Chair of the CT Suicide Advisory Board since 2012.

Panelist Dr. Kate Patterson, PhD, Lillian Reba Moses Child Guidance Clinic – Dr. Patterson is Clinical Director of the Child Guidance Clinic and is a state certified provider of trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy. She has worked with many adolescents who have experienced different levels of suicidality and self-injurious behaviors.

Panelist Jennifer Blakeslee, LCSW, Middlesex Hospital – Ms. Blakeslee has worked for Middlesex Hospital for the past 13 years, 9 of the years in Mobile Crisis. Currently she is the Coordinator for Mobile Crisis and is involved with many community collaboratives and meetings as well as assesses youth for safety.