Sherman Brings Decades of Experience in Non-profit Leadership and Advocacy to Role
WASHINGTON, DC, December 13, 2022 — Leeann Sherman, MPS, CAE, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) as of December 5. Sherman brings extensive non-profit experience with over 20 years in professional associations and community-driven, mission-based organizations to her tenure with AAS, a national organization that provides training, education, research and awareness programs to promote the understanding and prevention of suicide.
Best known as a world-leader in the development, implementation, and facilitation of accreditation, certification, and training programs, AAS programs are evidenced-based and use best practices to uphold standards of care for those impacted by suicide. The non-profit provides accreditation, certification, and training opportunities for crisis centers, organizations, and individuals.
“I am thrilled to be assuming this role in AAS,” Sherman says. “I have seen the true drive of the leadership, the board, our staff team and volunteers to make a real difference in the lives of individuals across the world, and I am looking forward to supporting and enhancing that goal by developing relationships.”
“Leeann brings a high level of non-profit leadership professionalism and a fresh focus on advocacy to our already solid organization,” says AAS Board Chairman Tony Coder. “We are excited to bring her strong, decisive leadership and expertise to AAS.”
Sherman has been a founding member of various industry coalitions to drive mission and advocacy forward, working with stakeholders and volunteers throughout her diverse career. She has worked with federal, state, and local government agencies including Centers for Disease Control, PA Department of Health, PA Department of Human Services, PA Department of Transportation, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Office and federal legislators while also working closely on advocacy with the Pennsylvania Legislature.
The mother of both a 17-year-old and a 24-year-old, Sherman has seen and experienced the challenges our children and young adults face today as well as the ways in which technology has impacted societal problem-solving skills. After a personal tragedy caused Sherman to re-evaluate her priorities, she searched for a way to have genuine impact, and she found AAS. “When I saw this, it spoke to me. This is something I can give myself to and it can, in turn, give to other people. For me it represented the perfect opportunity to use my leadership skills, to partner with our media outlets, and to speak to Congressional leaders about putting information out there in various new ways that will make a difference.”
Sherman has served on various professional association and community organization boards and continues to be engaged to serve others. She provides mentoring and alumni networking to students at her alma mater at the Pennsylvania State University from where she has a baccalaureate degree in Hospitality Management and Nutrition and a master’s degree in Community & Economic Development. She also holds a CAE certification (CAE) credential, which is the highest credential of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment.
We’ll see you in Portland! AAS ’23, The American Association of Suicidology’s annual conference, will be April 19-22 at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. This is the largest annual gathering of the Suicidology community, including researchers, clinicians, crisis service professionals, public health and government officials and survivors.
About American Association of Suicidology
The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) listed suicide as among the top nine leading causes of death for individuals between the ages of 10 and 64. Experts agree that it’s a significant public health problem. Although anyone can be affected by suicide, some groups experience it at a much higher rate than the general population.
As with any public health concern, understanding the demographics of suicide and the broader social, economic, and cultural factors that can affect it is crucial to developing effective suicide prevention strategies. Here, we’ll review some important suicide statistics, including the groups affected by suicide at disproportionately high rates and why that’s believed to be the case.
Suicide and Gender
Men—particularly middle-aged men—experience suicide at a significantly higher rate than women. In 2020, the incidence of suicide among men was over three times higher than the rate among women. The reasons for this are complex, but harmful gender norms play a role, as do access to lethal means. In particular, firearms, which are more accessible in the United States than in many other countries, are used in three out of every five suicides.
As one 2019 BBC article pointed out, prevailing gender norms put pressure on men to appear strong, self-sufficient, and in control. Expressions of emotion or vulnerability are often discouraged or stigmatized as being weak. This emotional repression can cause serious mental health concerns for men and may make them more likely to engage in substance use, which has been associated with an increased risk of suicide.
Marginalized genders and queer individuals are also at a greater risk of suicide. This is reflected in the high rates within the LGBTQ community, who are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers. Suicide rates among trans people, in particular, are of great concern: according to a 2022 study, “82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves, and 40% have attempted suicide.”
Among LGBTQ populations, higher suicide rates are generally attributed to discrimination, harassment, family rejection, and compounding social-emotional factors impacting LGBTQ individuals.
Suicide and Age
Although older adults comprise only a small number of overall deaths by suicide, the rate of suicide among adults over age 75 is higher than any other age group (19.1 per 100,000). As a whole, elderly individuals are highly susceptible to social isolation and depression due to mobility and health issues.
Suicide and Race and Ethnicity
American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations experience the highest rate of suicide, followed by white people. The incidence of suicide among AI/AN individuals is 23.9 per 100,000, making it the 9th leading cause of death for those populations. In addition, suicide rates among Black and Asian or Pacific Islander individuals have shown a dramatic increase in recent years. A 2021 study reported that for Black individuals, the suicide rate increased by 30% between 2014 and 2019; for Asian or Pacific Islanders, the suicide rate climbed by 16%.
As is the case with members of the LGBTQ community, suicide among racial minority populations is rooted in social and historical discrimination. For example, colonialism and racism continue to have a major impact on Indigenous individuals and communities alike. Intergenerational trauma, poverty, unemployment, alcohol abuse, and sexual violence tend to be present at higher than average rates in AI/AN communities, all of which are believed by experts to contribute to suicidal behavior.
Suicide and Veterans
Many veterans face a unique set of factors that may put them at greater risk for suicide. Data from 2020 placed the suicide rate for veterans at 57.3% higher than the rate for non-veterans in the US. Although suicide rates among veterans declined slightly between 2018-2020, prior to that, rates climbed steadily from 2000-2018.
Many veterans experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which has been positively correlated with suicide, as a result of their military service. On top of that, the process of transitioning out of the military and back into civilian life is often stressful and isolating for veterans. These and other circumstances (such as disability, difficulty finding employment, and/or financial struggles) may contribute to mental health disorders such as depression and/or anxiety and substance abuse. Altogether, many veterans find themselves at the center of a network of severe risk factors for suicide.
Understanding the demographics of suicide is an integral part of suicide research.The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) is dedicated to promoting the understanding and prevention of suicide, as well as providing support, hope, and healing to those who have been affected by it. AAS promotes the study of suicide as a research discipline, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers. AAS membership includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center volunteers, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of lay persons who are interested in suicide prevention.
By joining the AAS, the largest and oldest suicide prevention membership organization in the U.S., you will be among the ranks of the world’s leading suicidologists and suicide prevention experts. Ready to join? Individual and Organizational Memberships are available!
Suicidology is the study of suicide, as well as suicidal and life-threatening behavior. However, there’s more that goes into the field than people might think. Suicidology also includes the study of non-suicidal self-injury and self-destructive behavior, the epidemiology of suicide (that is, who engages in suicidal behavior and why), determining risk and protective factors for suicide, the process of developing screening tools and identifying effective treatments, and research around effective suicide prevention and intervention for suicidal persons.
Due to its multidisciplinary nature, suicidology occupies a somewhat ambiguous position. Suicide research is a highly intersectional topic, and can be studied through the lens of sociology, psychology, and the biomedical model, among others. Sociologically speaking, researchers might be interested in the external social factors that influence suicidal behavior. These could include culture, education, socioeconomic status, religion, relationships, and family structure, to name just a few.
From a psychological viewpoint, those in mental health professions might seek to understand the relationship between suicide and psychological factors such as mental illness, trauma, social connectedness, and more. Researchers and clinicians in the mental health field might also be interested in the type of coping mechanisms and psychological therapies that can be utilized to treat and/or prevent suicidal behavior.
Finally, from a biomedical standpoint, doctors and psychiatrists might look for the connection between suicide and certain biological risk factors, such as chronic illness, mental illness as a function of neurotransmitter imbalances, genetic predisposition, family history, and more. Professionals in medical and psychiatric fields might also be more inclined to research or prescribe pharmacological treatments for individuals exhibiting suicidal behavior.
The History of Suicidology
Although suicide has been recognized for thousands of years, the field of suicidology is comparatively new. Many credit Émile Durkheim for pioneering the field of suicidology when he published Suicide: A Study in Sociology (1897). In this seminal text, Durkheim discussed suicide as a function of two social forces: social integration and moral regulation. In doing so, he became the first person to present an empirical, methodological study of suicide.
However, it would take another half a century before suicidology was codified into a more robust discipline by Dr. Edwin Shneidman. Shneidman was a psychologist who began studying suicide in the wake of World War II. Over the course of his prolific career, Dr. Shneidman founded the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center (the first suicide prevention center in the country), served as the chief of the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) suicide prevention program, and founded the American Association of Suicidology. He was also a professor of thanatology (the study of death) at the University of California Los Angeles. Shneidman’s contributions to the field include studies about suicide as well as prevention and intervention protocols.
Although suicidology has grown significantly in the decades since its identity remains somewhat open-ended. Unlike many other established areas of study, suicidology does not yet have a clearly defined set of knowledge or core competencies. Furthermore, professionals are not required to complete any particular degrees or educational criteria to call themselves suicidologists.
Rather, experts in the field have suggested that at least for the time being, suicidology might be thought of as an area of specialization or interest for people across a range of professions. Authors of the article “Defining Suicidology and the Title of Suicidologist?” explained that, “In this sense, a suicidologist is one who transmits, shares, or uses their understanding of suicidal phenomena for the common good, irrespective of whether or not one holds an advanced degree, certification, and/or license as a professional.”
Why Is Suicidology Important?
Suicide is a major public health problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide rates increased by 30% from 2000-2018, and have ranked among the top ten causes of death in recent years. After a brief two-year decline, rates rose again by 4% in 2021, possibly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among younger populations, the increase was even steeper.
As with any public health issue or social phenomenon, understanding is key to prevention and treatment. In the case of suicide, being able to support those who may be at risk of suicide, increase suicide awareness, and utilize effective intervention, prevention, and treatment measures is essential to building lives worth living around the world each year.
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) is dedicated to promoting the understanding and prevention of suicide, as well as providing support, hope, and healing to those who have been affected by it. AAS promotes the study of suicide as a research discipline, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers. AAS membership includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center volunteers, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of lay persons who have an interest in suicide prevention.
By joining the AAS, the largest and oldest suicide prevention membership organization in the U.S., you will be among the ranks of the world’s leading suicidologists and suicide prevention experts. Ready to join? Individual and Organizational Memberships are available!
Suicidality in Ethnoracially Minoritized Youth
Guest editors: Lillian Polanco-Roman, PhD, Department of Psychology, The New School; Regina Miranda, PhD, Department of Psychology, Hunter College, CUNY
Suicide and suicidal behaviors have disproportionately increased among ethnoracially minoritized youth in the U.S. Globally, Low- and Middle-Income countries account for over 75% of all suicides, where prevalence is high at a young age. With this call for papers on suicide risk among ethnoracially minoritized youth, SLTB aims to advance the cultural responsiveness of the science and practice of suicide research and prevention among ethnoracially minoritized children, adolescents and young adults in the U.S. and globally. We invite original research, theoretical and conceptual papers, systematic reviews, case studies and clinical perspectives, commentaries and letters to the editors that address risk and protective factors associated with suicide-related risk across the spectrum (i.e., suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, deaths) among racially and ethnically minoritized population (i.e., historically and currently faced with unjust barriers to social, political, and economic resources). We welcome views from a range of disciplines including but not limited to epidemiology, anthropology, sociology, psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, neuroscience, biology, genetics.
*Examples of papers that are responsive to the call include but are not limited to:*
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the validity and reliability of suicide risk assessment tools in ethnoracially minoritized youth
A commentary about an anti-racist approach to studying youth suicide and prevention
Findings from culturally-tailored suicide prevention strategies in American Indian/Native American adolescents
An intersectional approach to youth suicide risk: A case study on addressing suicide risk with an undocumented, Afro-Latina, queer adolescent.
Overcoming systemic barriers and lessons learned from using community-based participatory research in the study of suicide risk among ethnoracially minoritized youth
What we know and don’t know about suicide-related risk in Asian and Pacific Islander emerging adults: A review of the literature
A mixed methods study on the conceptualization of suicide among Black and Latinx/Hispanic pre-adolescent children.
Correlates of suicide ideation and attempts among adolescents in the Caribbean: Findings from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey.
Authors should prepare to submit a blinded copy of their submission for masked peer review. Submissions should be sent via the ScholarOne submission portal and select ‘Ethnoracially Minoritized Youth Special Issue’ from the drop-down menu options before completing the submission. The deadline for submission for this special issue is December 15, 2022.
Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Lillian Polanco-Roman at polancol@newschool.edu with ‘*Ethnoracially Minoritized Youth Special Issue’ *in the email subject line.*
American Association of Suicidology Applauds the Biden Administration for Addressing the Mental Health Crisis
Washington, D.C. (March 2, 2022): The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) expresses its gratitude to the Biden Administration for taking action to address a number of critical mental health initiatives and specifically addressing suicide in this bold, inclusive, and comprehensive agenda. In 2018, we called on legislators and lawmakers to fully fund suicide prevention at $1 billion annually – this public health-oriented agenda is finally on par with that request and makes huge strides in meeting the scope of the problem head on.
AAS has consistently advocated for youth mental health programs and progressive initiatives that allow young people in the US to access life-saving care. Additionally, it’s promising to see this Administration directly tackle the difficult issue of the intersection of social media with the behavioral health of youth. While social media also carries many advantages in allowing youth to connect with their peers and to provide support, we’re happy to see the Administration target data collection and other examples of users’ digital shadows that can lead to potential harm to this vulnerable population.
Again, we applaud the Administration in directly addressing the crisis infrastructure in this country and for fully appreciating the scope of the problem, including prevention, intervention, and outreach across the full continuum of care. Over the last few years, AAS has consistently played a role in developing legislation to further advance the creation and implementation of 988. AAS is the home of many crisis service professionals as well as providing accreditation for over a hundred crisis centers taking part in the 988 and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. As such, we strongly advocate for dedicated funding for the 190 local crisis centers in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network to answer every one of the estimated annual 9 million crisis calls and texts to 988. This Administration’s agenda takes another major step in the direction of ensuring this will take place and we could not be more grateful.
We look forward to continuing to collaborate with this Administration and other suicide prevention and mental health organizations to reduce suicides in this country.
About AAS: The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
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American Association of Suicidology to Widen the Lens of Suicide Prevention at Annual National Conference in Chicago
Registration now open for attendees to participate in person or virtually April 27 – 30, 2022
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2022 — The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) opened registration for AAS22, its 55th annual conference, to be held April 27 – 30, 2022, in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. At its annual conference, AAS provides the time and space for everyone — clinicians, researchers, those with lived experience, public health officials, impacted family and friends, and others — to connect and learn about ways in which we can all address the various factors that can cause suicide in the U.S. and abroad while also discovering and sharing ways to prevent suicide and save lives.
The conference will take place via a hybrid format, allowing attendees from across the globe to safely participate in these critical discussions either in person with COVID-19 protections in Chicago or virtually from their homes and offices. This versatile approach will broaden AAS’ conference access at such a pivotal time for vulnerable communities impacted by the strains of the pandemic and other societal and health issues.
“At AAS22, we will be focusing on the intersection of science and lived experience and how we can widen the lens of suicide prevention to create more inclusive opportunities to share diverse research, voices and approaches for addressing the crisis of suicide,” said AAS22 Conference Chair, AAS Board Member and Impacted Family & Friends Division Chair Annemarie Matulis. “We are looking forward to gathering that expertise to explore the historic implementation of 988 — a life-saving, national three-digit number that will impact the way people in crisis access care — and collaborate and inspire new ideas and approaches that honor and examine suicide prevention through scientific and innovative practices.”
In 2019 (the latest year for which there is finalized data) there were 47,511 suicide deaths in the U.S., which is about one death every 11 minutes. In the same year there were nearly 1.4 million suicide attempts. Today, research does not yet reflect how the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest and economic downturn have affected suicide deaths in the U.S. and abroad. However, by hosting this conference, AAS is gathering suicidologists to determine methods and solutions for addressing this toll on communities and discover how we can better care for individuals in crisis.
AAS22 will focus on blending a variety of content and speakers, including new and innovative research and intervention practices. The conference will meet the needs of the field’s diverse communities while convening subject matter experts in suicide prevention to spur dialogues, make connections and expand networks to achieve a shared vision and goal. Workshops, presentations and exhibitors will introduce new research and forward-thinking approaches to build upon a strong science, public health, and a lived experience foundation to advance the field of suicide prevention.
In memory of Robert I. Yufit, Ph.D, ABPP, former AAS president and well-known suicidology researcher and practitioner, the Yufit family is sponsoring 10 suicidology service, recognition and crisis services awards which will be presented at AAS22 at a special awards dinner event. “We’re thrilled to continue the legacy to honor our father’s commitment to the understanding and prevention of suicide,” said Dr. Yufit’s children Lisa, David and Aveva Yufit.
To learn more about AAS22 and register today, visitaasconference.org.
AAS invites individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to join us in person in Chicago. The health and well-being of AAS22 attendees, staff, sponsors and exhibitors remains a top priority. With a close eye on the latest world and local conditions, new technologies and personal safety concerns, AAS is prepared to make adjustments as necessary. The current policy is in response to the City of Chicago’s current vaccine requirement. The Public Health Order is set to remain in effect until the City of Chicago/Suburban Cook County is past the omicron-driven surge and the risk of overwhelming hospital capacity has subsided.
For the media: Responsible reporting on suicide, including stories of hope and resilience, can prevent more suicides. Please visit the Suicide Reporting Recommendations for more information. For additional information, please visit SuicideReportingToolkit.com.
About AAS: The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
