This workshop provides participants with an overview of the basic epidemiology of suicide, including risk and protective factors. Participants are trained to recognize warning signs and characteristics that might indicate elevated risk for suicidal behavior—and how to intervene with a person they think might be at risk for suicide.  

Presented by:

Tammy Weppelman, M.S. LPC-S is currently the State Suicide Prevention Coordinator and team lead for the Suicide Prevention Team at HHSC. Prior to coming to HHSC, Tammy worked for Denton County MHMR Center for 18 years. During her time at Denton County MHMR, Tammy had several roles, but spent the most years working in crisis services including Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams (MCOT), crisis walk-in services, crisis residential, Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS Team), and continuity of care. Tammy has a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of North Texas and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Jennifer Haussler Garing, MS, State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist, brings more than 25 years of experience in public health and research epidemiology to the Texas Suicide Prevention team. Jennifer serves as the subject matter expert in suicide prevention epidemiology and the available data. Prior to coming to HHSC, Jennifer served as the YRBS coordinator and epidemiologist for the state of Texas for 11 years. Her previous work includes emergency preparedness, chronic disease, and infectious disease outbreaks, as well as research for Yale Medical School and the EPA. Jennifer holds degrees from University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Johns Hopkins University.