This year’s Suicide Prevention Conference is on Wednesday, September 12, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm at the Ambassador Hotel and Conference Center in Erie, PA.

The conference theme is First Responders. The keynote speaker, Govan Martin III, retired as a 29-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in 2012. In his tenure with the PSP, Govan worked in patrol, crime, and the highlight of his career was becoming Manager of the Member Assistance Program (an internal Peer Support/Employee Assistance Program for the Pennsylvania State Police) in 2000. In 2010, Govan helped create legislation for Confidentiality for Law Enforcement Peer Support and Critical Incidents. Along with the FBI, he started the Annual Law Enforcement Employee Assistance/Peer Support Program Conference from 2006 through 2012 for State Police agencies across the country. He has been a keynote speaker for Suicide Prevention, Employee Assistance/Peer Support Programs, and CISM conferences across the country (e.g., American Association of Suicidology, International Employee Assistance Program Association, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, etc.).

Currently, Govan is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Prevent Suicide PA and serves on the First Responder Committee for the American Association of Suicidology.

Govan lost his brother, Michael, in 1980.

Other speakers include:

1. Mandy Fauble, PhD, LCSW – Safe Harbor Behavioral Health of UPMC Hamot
2. Patty Puline, BS, Ed – SafeKids Erie/LECOM Health
3. Dan Eaton, MSN, RN – Penn State Behrend College of Nursing
4. Greg Purchase, LCSW and Bill Hollenbeck, MA – City of Erie Fire Department
5. Ron Bryant, Deputy Warden, Mike Holman, Deputy Warden, and Stacey Petruso – Erie County Prison
6. Chief Kelly – Cranberry Township EMS
7. Kurt Hinkle – Retired Firefighter/Paramedic City of Phoenix Fire Department

For more information, please contact Nicole Moore or register at EventBrite.