Recordings from ACT’s 2024 Focus on Research Conference
Research practitioners, which include Autistic Adults, illustrate why we need to learn about mental health and suicide within the Autistic community. Learn the suicide risk factors and warning signs as well as practical strategies and resources to identify and support those in crisis.
Suicide is a leading cause of premature death in autistic people. Autistic individuals are significantly more likely to think about and attempt suicide than members of the general population. However, most mental health professionals do not feel confident about identifying suicide risk, particularly signs of acute risk (i.e., warning signs), and intervening when autistic individuals are in crisis.
In bringing Anne, Lisa, Rachel, Jessica, and Shari to Vancouver, our goal is to improve knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy related to recognizing risk factors and warning signs of suicide risk in Autistic individuals, and identifying appropriate crisis supports and resources for this population.
In these presentations, participants will learn:
- From Autistic adults with lived experience
- Why we need to talk about mental health and suicide in the Autistic community
- The importance of reframing responsibilities and creating culturally safe clinical settings
- Why school drop-out rates are high among autistic youth and what to do to address this issue
- The functions of self-injury (i.e., the needs it fulfills, and that self-injury may be suicidal or non-suicidal)
- About the research related to mental health needs that may be associated with suicide risk and the efficacy of adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
- About the Autism Resource “Warning Signs of Suicide: Considerations for the Autism Community“
- Next steps as family members, Autistic community members, and professionals
Part 1: Lisa’s Story
Presented by Lisa Morgan and Anne Kirby
Part 2: Autism & Suicide: From Epidemiology to Personal Accounts
Presented by Jessica Schwartzman and Anne Kirby
- Examining the presentation of depression in autistic adults – Jessica Schwartzman, Ph.D.
- Autism & Suicide: From Epidemiology to Personal Accounts – Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L
Part 3: Suicide and social connectedness: Changing our perspective on suicide in autistic people
Presented by Lisa Morgan & Rachel Moseley
Part 4: A Tailored Approach to Suicide Prevention for Autistic Youth
Presented by Shari Jager-Hyman
Part 5: Autistic Perspectives on Mental Health
Presented by panelists Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer, Alex Jacobs, Rachel Kripke-Ludwig, and Izabelle Stevens
Part 6: Self-injury and its relationship with suicide
Presented by Rachel Moseley
Part 7: Treating depression in autistic youth: Partnering with autistic people in clinical research and service
Presented by Jessica Schwartzman
- Download the slides
- Supplemental resources
Part 8: Overview of Resources on Autism and Suicide Prevention
Presented by Jessica Schwartzman, Anne Kirby, Lisa Morgan, and Shari Jager-Hyman
Part 9: Warning Signs of Suicide for Autistic People
Presented by Lisa Morgan and Jessica Schwartzman
Part 10: Future of Research
Presented by panelists: Lisa Morgan, Shari Jager-Hyman, Anne Kirby, Rachel Mosely, and Jessica Schwartzman
Additional Resources
- ACT’s Autism Research Search
- About Lisa Morgan (includes publication list)
- Autism Crisis Support resources
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