Green Bay Reporter

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will host the Northeast Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Summit on May 8, 2025, in Green Bay. The summit, taking place at the Brown County Central Library from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., is open to the public, including social workers, therapists, and mental health professionals. This year's theme is "Unity in Diversity."

Earl Dotson, a former Packer and Super Bowl Champion, will deliver the keynote address. Dotson's son died by suicide, and he will speak on "A Broken Man: Learning to Feel After Loss." He shares how mental health discussions among his Green Bay Packers teammates helped save his life. Dotson aims to provide attendees with tools to cope and feel safely.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has noted an increase in suicide rates over the past two decades, making suicide one of the leading causes of death in the state.

The summit will feature various breakout sessions, such as VA S.A.V.E Training, Compassion Resilience in Practice, Multicultural Approaches to Trauma-Informed Care, and more, addressing different facets of suicide prevention.

Jeffrey Ditzenberger, a suicide survivor and mental health coach, will deliver the closing session titled “It’s OK to Not be OK.” Ditzenberger is also the founder of TUGS, promoting mental wellness in rural communities.

The summit is organized by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in partnership with the Brown County Coalition for Suicide Prevention and other community collaborators. The Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Training is responsible for planning, with support from the Psychology and Social Work Departments.

For further details, attendees can visit the event's website or contact Melissa Betke, Program Specialist, for inquiries or involvement opportunities.