Dixie Regional Hosts Suicide Prevention Training

Dixie Regional Medical Center will host a suicide prevention training on April 29.  Utah's suicide rate has been consistently higher than the U.S. rate for the last decade.  

Gregory A. Hudnall, MSW, EdD, is an expert on adolescent suicide prevention and will be the presenter. Dr. Hudnall has trained more than 20,000 parents, educators, mental health workers and volunteers in Utah. He has been involved with over 30 suicides as a direct responder or consultant. His trainings have been vital in preventing numerous suicides and continue to support communities throughout Utah.
 
During his 11 years of being a principal in the Provo City School District, Hudnall lost five students to suicide. He was making his transition to become the associate superintendent when he received a haunting call. A student of his had committed suicide and they needed him to make the identification. This tragedy was a turning point in Hudnall’s life. “I made a vow that day to do something to prevent suicide,” said Hudnall.

He began calling local organizations and inviting them to join together to create programs to educate the community about suicide prevention. “Everyone came together and asked how they could help. We started to put programs in the school,” said Dr. Hudnall. “We started to see success.”

The community is encouraged to attend in a similar effort to strengthen suicide prevention efforts locally.