Wellbeing/Mental HealthSocial Emotional/Behavioral

Dr. Jonathan Singer

HYBRID EVENT -- Suicide Signs and Symptoms: Let's Talk About It

Noon CST 7 p.m. CST

12:00 pm CST 7:00 pm CST

When

Thu, May 1, 2025 @ noon and 7pm CST

Where

HYBRID Event - On Zoom at noon and in person at Carol Stream Public Library and on Zoom at 7 p.m.

Program Takeaways:

Suicide is preventable when adults learn to recognize risk factors and take proactive steps to engage with youth in distress.

Asking about suicide does not plant the idea in a child’s head—it opens a door to connection, validation, and help.

Warning signs aren’t always obvious, and many adolescents at risk appear “fine” until a moment of crisis.

Tech and social media can be harmful or helpful—what matters is how they’re used and whether youth feel connected offline.

Adults must create safe spaces where kids feel heard, believed, and never punished for seeking help.

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When we hear stories of young people taking their own lives, we’re left asking what can be been done to prevent these tragedies? Suicide is a public health crisis that is now the second leading cause of death for young people age 15-24 according to the CDC, and despite a common belief that only teens and adults are affected, younger children can also be at risk. Though this is a difficult topic, it’s too important to be ignored.

How can we best communicate to kids that we want the best for them rather than for them to be the best? What are the risks students face today, and what protective factors can we put in place? Join us when GPS will welcome Dr. Jonathan Singer to give us a better understanding of suicide and discuss the warning signs, myths, facts and tips for parents, students, schools, and communities.

Dr. Jonathan Singer is a licensed clinical social worker, an associate professor of social work at Loyola University Chicago, a researcher and a true leader in the field. Dr. Singer’s research interests, numerous publications and media appearances focus on interventions for suicidal and cyberbullied youth. He has given over 100 national and international presentations and is the author of “Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner’s Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention.” Dr. Singer is also the creator and host of the award-winning Social Work Podcast.