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On January 9 from 5:30 to 7 pm, our colleague Madeline Zielinski (with Brittney Lee, MSW) will lead an important interactive discussion/training on suicide prevention at KVML, 543 Indiana Avenue. Madeline and other mental health professionals from the Indy area led similar programs for us in 2018 as part of our Lonesome No More series, and because these topics are so important in this challenging world, we’ll present several others throughout the year. Maddie explains more about the training here:



Why is a program like this important, especially this time of year?

Suicide is a very real issue, but many are hesitant to talk about it for fear of saying the wrong thing. Indiana has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, and the cold, gray winters here can cause this number to climb even higher.

What will the program focus on?

This program will bring an interactive experience to understanding suicide prevention. We will learn how to recognize the signs that someone is thinking about suicide, practice asking, and learn how to connect that person to support. We also will discuss resources and what protective factors we can build around ourselves and others in our community to prevent suicide.

Who should attend this program?

This training is open to any age or experience level. No need to be intimidated. You aren’t expected to be an expert. You will learn how to recognize those who need help so you can connect them with professionals and resources.

What are the three most important reasons this program can be helpful?


  1. Talking about suicide is the best way to prevent it. Isolation is a major factor in someone moving from suicide ideation to an attempt.
  2. Talking about suicide is also very intimidating. This is a safe place to practice and ask questions before taking it on in the real world.
  3. Finally, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in the state among people ages 15 to 34 (Suicide in Indiana Report, 2017). It is the only cause of death rate that is rising.

What do people misunderstand when it comes to talking about suicide prevention?

Some people think talking about suicide will make someone consider it. This is no more true than if someone tried to convince you to jump off a cliff. The suggestion is not going to make someone follow through with it.

 Register for this event here.

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Kathi Badertscher, PhD

Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Kathi Badertscher, PhD, is Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Dr. Badertscher teaches a variety of BA, MA, and doctoral courses, including Applying Ethics in Philanthropy and History of Philanthropy. She has participated in several Teaching Vonnegut workshops and is a member of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Dr. Badertscher has been a guest speaker on ethics in philanthropy, including at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners – Indianapolis Council; Association of Fundraising Professionals – Indiana Chapter; and Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin, China. In 2019 she received IUPUI Office for Women, Women’s Leadership Award for Newcomer Faculty. In 2019 and 2020 she received the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Graduate Teaching Award.
Dr. Badertscher’s publications include “Fundraising for Advocacy and Social Change,” co-authored with Shariq Siddiqui in Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 5th ed., 2022; “Insulin at 100: Indianapolis, Toronto, Woods Hole, and the ‘Insulin Road,’ co-authored with Christopher Rutty, Pharmacy in History (2020); and three articles in the Indiana Magazine of History: “A New Wishard Is on the Way,” “Evaline Holliday and the Work of Community Service,” and “Social Networks in Indianapolis during the Progressive Era.” Her chapters on social welfare history will appear in three upcoming edited volumes on the history of philanthropy, including “The Legacy of Edna Henry and Her Contributions to the IU School of Social Work,” Women at Indiana University: Views of the Past and the Future, edited by Andrea Walton, Indiana University Press, 2022 (forthcoming). Dr. Badertscher is also the Philanthropy and Nonprofits Consulting Editor for the forthcoming Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by David J. Bodenhamer and Elizabeth Van Allen, Indiana University Press, 2021. Dr. Badertscher is an active volunteer in the Indianapolis community. At present, she is a Coburn Place Safe Haven Board Member and a Children’s Bureau/Families First Brand and Marketing Advisor. Dr. Badertscher holds the MA in History from Indiana University and the MA and PhD in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

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