r By Adrian Escalante
DepressTech 2019, an annual conference on anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention, just announced Dr. Brad Wilcox as the Keynote Speaker for the one-day conference. His keynote will be entitled, “The Gift of Grace.”
Depression is growing in Utah at alarming rates. According to the Utah Department of Health, more than 1 in 4 Utah teens are feeling sad enough to consider suicide. In 2017, 27.3% of high school students surveyed reported feeling sad or hopeless, while 14.3% had already made a suicide plan. The highest percentages of all indicators were among female students.
Adults are no better off. According to a 2017 survey conducted by Mental Health America, Utah ranked last in overall mental health. Connecticut was ranked #1 and Utah ranked #51 with 4.85% of all adults having serious thoughts of suicide.
“The purpose of this conference is to talk about the elephant in the room and begin to discuss treatment and support options for those who suffer from this serious type of mental illness,” said Conference Founder, Adrian R. Escalante. He continued, “This conference is for all adults and teens who either suffer from depression or who want to help and minister to others in their circle of influence.”
Peter Breinholt was also announced as one of the entertainers that will perform at the conference. Other speakers include psychologists, licensed therapists, family physicians, educators, and representatives from mental health organizations.
DepressTech 2019 is based on Christian principles and values. It is designed for anyone interested in helping or receiving help in this area and is intended for adults and youth 11-17.
The conference will be held on Saturday, September 21, from 8 am to 5 pm, at the University Guesthouse and Conference Center (University of Utah). More information and tickets to the conference are available online at www.DepressTech.com or www.facebook.com/DepressTech.
