BALTIMORE, September 24, 2026—Pediatric providers from across the state will convene next month to share resources and ideas at the fourth annual Maryland Youth Suicide Prevention Summit, an event sponsored by the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Topics for the day include screening tools for crisis prevention, implementing safety assessments, a new app for connecting providers, and making health recommendations to Maryland’s legislative leaders.
The summit began in 2023 as a one-time event. But participants made such progress, the AAP's Maryland Chapter decided this needed to be an annual gathering, said Dr. Terry Nguyen, MD, MS, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at GBMC and co-chair of the Mental Health Committee for AAP's Maryland Chapter.
“We know that mental health and suicide prevention are on the minds of many parents, teachers and health care providers, and feel strongly that sharing resources through a conference like this is a way to better our communications and make a difference,” Dr. Nguyen said.
The free event takes place Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kennedy Krieger Institute will once again host the summit, and interested participants can register at this link. Breakfast and lunch are provided.
Suicide is second-leading cause of death in the U.S. for children, adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Resources on suicide prevention can be found on the following websites:
- الانتحار: مخطط لمنع انتحار الشباب، الأكاديمية الأمريكية لطب الأطفال (AAP)
- التحالف الوطني للأمراض العقلية (NAMI)
- 988 Lifeline
نبذة عن معهد Kennedy Krieger
يعمل معهد Kennedy Krieger، وهو منظمة غير ربحية مشهورة دولياً تقع في منطقة بالتيمور/ واشنطن العاصمة الكبرى، على تغيير حياة أكثر من 27,000 شخص سنويًا من خلال توفير العلاجات الطبية والصحية السلوكية والعافية للمرضى الداخليين والخارجيين، والخدمات المنزلية والمجتمعية، والبرامج المدرسية والتدريب والتعليم للمهنيين، والدفاع عن القضايا ذات الصلة. ويقدم معهد Kennedy Krieger مجموعة واسعة من الخدمات للأطفال والمراهقين والبالغين الذين يعانون من أمراض أو اضطرابات أو إصابات تؤثر على النظام العصبي وتتنوع شدتها من المتوسط إلى الحاد. ويترأس المعهد فريقًا من الباحثين الذين يساهمون في فهم نشوء الاضطرابات مع استحداث أساليب تدخل جديدة وطرق تشخيص ووقاية وعلاج مبكرة. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.
About Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Since its inception in 1950, the Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (MDAAP) has a long and distinguished history of advocacy and support of Maryland’s children and adolescents and their healthcare needs. The MDAAP’s mission “To support and encourage pediatricians in the promotion of optimal health for all of Maryland’s children and adolescents” speaks to that commitment. The MDAAP initiates and supports programs that respond to the needs of children and adolescents and their healthcare providers through collaborative and creative programming with other public and private organizations. Visit www.mdaap.org for more information.
