National Center for Youth Issues (NCYI), a Chattanooga-based, youth development group, in conjunction with the Hamilton County Schools, will host the 12th annual Healthy Choices for Youth - Chattanooga Summit at Christ United Methodist Church in East Brainerd on Friday.

Dr. Melissa Reeves recently served as president of the National Association of School Psychologists, and is a nationally certified school psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed special education teacher, and former district coordinator of social/ emotional/behavioral services. She is an Associate Professor at Winthrop University and a senior consultant with Sigma Threat Management Associates, PA. Dr. Reeves is a co-author of the PREPaRE Crisis Prevention and Intervention curriculum and travels  nationally and internationally training professionals in crisis prevention through recovery, threat and suicide assessment, trauma and PTSD, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. She lives in the Charlotte area.

At the Summit, she will present Suicide and Non-suicidal Self-Injury: Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention. This workshop will discuss current statistics and legal cases, early identification of warning signs, primary prevention strategies to break the code of silence, an overview of suicide assessment models and procedures, and strategies for intervention and postvention activities, including those to prevent contagion. Emphasis will also be placed on school-based response and intervention on behalf of students who engage in non-suicidal, self-injurious (NSSI) behavior.

Leigh Bagwell is the coordinator of School Counseling for the Tennessee Department of Education, and resides in the Nashville area. She will present two separate sessions at the Summit:

- College and Career Readiness in Elementary Schools

- College and Career Readiness: From Middle School to Postsecondary and Beyond

The Summit will provide professional development training for 150+ school counselors, social workers and other student support professionals in 95 Hamilton County public and private schools. 15 local, regional and national organizations that provide support services to this vital group of professionals will have exhibits at the event to share the programs and services they have to offer.

In addition to training, participating schools will be given $250 in counseling resources to supplement their school’s library of materials available to help counselors and social workers.

Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union is the Lead Corporate Sponsor of the event, and they join the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation, the Ward Family Foundation, the Hamico Foundation, Inc., Ace Hardware, Covenant Transport and Southern Champion Tray as major supporters. The Hamilton County Department of Education is also contributing support, as well as several other outstanding corporations, foundations and individuals.

For more information on the 2017 Healthy Choices for Youth Chattanooga Summit, call Robert Rabon at National Center for Youth Issues—(423)-309-4300.

Event details: Healthy Choices for Youth - Chattanooga Summit

Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in East Brainerd