Speaker(s):

Sara Schwab, MS, LPC

Jared Reck, BA

Eric Godfroy

Presentation: SOAR is used throughout Missouri to assist individuals experiencing SMI and homelessness with accessing financial benefits, but the reach of SOAR expands far greater than increasing clients’ income. By developing a consistent practice for utilizing SOAR in local communities, providers will see improvements in client engagement and retention, improved outcomes at the client and program level, and strengthened partnerships with agencies, leading to a more collaborative and coordinated system. This presentation provides an overview of the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) process in both theory and practice. Strategies for working with challenging circumstances (substance use disorders, initial episodes, institutional barriers) will be discussed and attendees will have an opportunity to talk through barriers that they have experienced when establishing or maintaining a SOAR program. The benefits of maintaining traction through those challenges are impactful to clients, providers, and the local community and each of those areas will be covered in detail.

Objectives:

1. Describe the SOAR process in Missouri
2. Utilize specific strategies for working with challenging circumstances during the SOAR process
3. Identify several benefits of using SOAR at the client, program, and community levels

Speaker(s):

Anchana Dominic, MD

Presentation: In 2016, 45,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide (CDC Data). Since 1999, suicide rates have gone up by more than 30%. Mental illness is a known contributing factor to suicide. In clinical samples, about 50% of individuals with bipolar disorder were found to have a history of a suicide attempt. The rate of suicide attempts in those with bipolar disorder was twice that of individuals with unipolar depression. In this presentation, Dr. Dominic will review empirically researched risk factors associated with suicide in individuals with bipolar disorder. Specific symptoms and clinical presentations associated with risk of suicide will be discussed. Some of the risk factors include family history of suicide, early onset of bipolar disorder, rapid cycling, and abuse of alcohol and/or drugs. Dr. Dominic will discuss how to evaluate for these risk factors and the clinical application to preventing suicide in this population.

Objectives:

1. Explain the prevalence of suicide in bipolar disorder
2. Identify risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder
3. Describe how to assess for risk factors in bipolar disorder