workers primarily make up this program. Conferences The annual American Association of Suicidology conference is a three-day event in April where private individuals, professionals, and organizations gather to collaborate, critically analyze, and network to advance the mission of building lives worth living and preventing suicide. The 2020 conference (#AAS20), in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was the first virtual conference in the organization's history. AAS received MeetingNet's 2020 Changemaker Award for their conference focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and "keeping that momentum across the virtual medium". National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide The National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide includes a Youth Advisory Board that provides insight on projects aimed at suicide prevention and reaching its adolescent demographic. In 2022, Amelia Lehto was named Director after former COO and Director, Amy Kulp, left the organization. Statistics Training Research points to a severe lack of training in suicide prevention within many fields of psychology and social work. Numbers from a national survey reported fewer than 25% of social workers having been trained in suicide prevention. The AAS is determined to prevent inadequately trained social workers and mental health professionals from working with potentially suicidal patients who display suicidal risk factors. The AAS believes promoting research and effective training—not only for mental health professionals and social workers, but also for the general public—will help prevent inadequate treatment by those in the fields of psychology and social work. Plans for the future The AAS plans to spread suicidology as a field of scientific study and strives to reduce the number of suicide cases through research and analysis. In efforts to improve the field of suicidology, the International Academy for Suicide Research launched a task force to combat suicidal behaviors, causes, and risk factors to come up with better solutions and prevention programs. See also National Alliance on Mental Illness Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention International Association for Suicide Prevention References External links Suicide prevention Charities based in Washington, D.C. Psychology organizations based in the United States Mental health organizations in Washington, D.C. 1968 establishments in Washington, D.C. Organizations established in 1968