Shift the Perception

In 2019, Erie County became one of four counties across New York State to participate in a suicide prevention project in hopes of identifying new strategies to stop individuals from taking their own life. After an innovative program had strong success in Oregon, which identified unique triggers and consistent patterns of behavior, researchers in New York planned to collect data to formulate unique prevention efforts and decrease the number of future suicides. Experts across the county, including members of local organizations, law enforcement, mental health practitioners and faculty from the University at Buffalo, such as Clinical Assistant Professor from the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, Dr. Sarah Cercone Heavey, PhD '17, MPH '11, have worked together to review quarterly suicide cases. Join us as Dr. Cercone Heavey will discuss how mental health conditions can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race or background; how the Erie County Suicide Fatality Review Team works collaboratively to address cases across our region and how to recognize triggers and patterns in an unprecedented time in our society. 

About Sarah Cercone Heavey
Sarah Cercone Heavey, PhD, MPH is the Director of Graduate Studies for our MPH programs and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions. Dr. Heavey is a substance use and mental health researcher. Currently, her work focuses on opioid overdose, including issues related to naloxone access as well as intentionality in opioid overdose. She completed a NIMH-funded T32 fellowship at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center. Prior to this, she received her MPH and PhD in Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Heavey has worked in public health for many years, as a researcher and educator, as well as in health promotion and community lead poisoning prevention. In addition, between her MPH and PhD, Dr. Heavey completed a fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health, in Atlanta, GA.