Dr. David Brent, STAR Center founder and co-director
Members of the STAR Center team attended the 2025 International Summit on Suicide Research by the International Academy of Suicide Research (IASR) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) held in Boston, MA. From presentations to poster submissions, STAR Center was a strong showing at the conference!
Dr. Nermin Toukhy's Poster
Dr. Toukhy submitted a poster on the longitudinal effects of stress-response biomarkers on neurocognitive functioning in young adults at-risk for suicidal behavior. Her research in this field has earned her an International Academy of Suicide Research (IASR) Early Career Research Award.
As part of its mission, STAR Center develops and disseminates new knowledge and strategies for preventing and treating suicidal behaviors, depression, and anxiety to teachers, mental health professionals, and the public.
STAR staff have delivered presentations to hundreds of people in Pennsylvania and nationwide on a wide variety of topics such as suicide risk assessment and safety planning, crisis prevention and intervention, and care for providers and survivors.
Safety Planning for College Students - HESPC Mental Health Among College Students Lunch and Learn
Adolescent Mental Health, Suicide Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Intervention - CLASS Academy/The Prevention Network
Assessing Suicidal Ideation in the Changing Outpatient Setting - Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Department of Counseling and Educational Leadership Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Virtual Conference
CBT Training focused on suicidality - Montgomery County Intermediate Unit
Upcoming Opportunities:
The Pennsylvania GLS Youth Suicide Prevention KEY-PPLE grant team and partners are providing a range of suicide prevention trainings for mental health professionals working with youth across various settings.
STAR Outreach Director, Dr. Paula McCommons, along with Dr. Perri Rosen, will be presenting on two topics for this series in 2026.
Visit this page for more trainings and registration links.
More Digital Support Tools
from the Pennsylvania 2025 Suicide Prevention Month Guide
Another digital tool that is helpful is the 988 Lifeline, detailed here in Pennsylvania's Suicide Prevention Month Guide for 2025. If you or someone you know is struggling, 988 can help. Call, text, or chat online if you are in crisis.
Everyone is encouraged to review the awareness activities throughout the year, consider how you would implement the practice, and share with others who may be interested.
There is still time to enter the Prevent Suicide PA Public Service Announcement for Youth Suicide Prevention competition! Submission of posters and short videos are due by January 9, 2026.
Follow this link to learn more and submit your designs!
Fall 2026 Updates and Announcements Services for Teens At Risk (STAR) Center STAR Center is excited to be sharing updates, stories, announcements, research, and more with the community. Thanks for reading! Visit the STAR website for more information. Annual STAR Center Suicide Prevention Conference Save the Date: Friday, May 14, 2027 View last year's welcome message and keynote addresses from Drs. Nock and Schonfeld here. Archived presentations are available on the STAR website. Dr. Brent...
Summer 2026 Updates and Announcements Services for Teens At Risk (STAR) Center STAR Center is excited to be sharing updates, stories, announcements, research, and more with the community. Thanks for reading! Visit the STAR website for more information. The STAR Clinic received visitors in April. Deb Brodine, UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital President, and Amy Sens, Human Resources Director toured the sixth floor of Bellefield Towers. In their post, they spoke highly of the resilience and...
Fall 2025 Updates and Announcements Services for Teens At Risk (STAR) Center STAR Center is excited to be sharing updates, stories, announcements, research, and more with the community. Thanks for reading! Visit the STAR website for more information. STAR Clinic is located in Bellefield Towers on the University of Pittsburgh campus Annual STAR Center Suicide Prevention Conference Save the Date - Friday, May 15, 2026 The Services for Teens At Risk (STAR) Center annual suicide prevention...
