East Lyme — The Brian T. Dagle Memorial Foundation Inc., in cooperation with The East Lyme Youth Services Bureau, will host the third community forum on suicide prevention and awareness at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Town Hall.

The educational forum, titled “Keep the Conversation Going,” will feature a panel of guest speakers led by State Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme.

The panel will consist of Andrea Duarte, LCSW of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Leah Nelson, the program director of the Jordan Porco Foundation; and Ann Irr Dagle, co-founder and president of the Brian T. Dagle Memorial Foundation.   

Duarte, the co-chairperson of the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board, will speak about a state initiative for suicide awareness and grants that are offered to local agencies to work with this initiative.

Nelson will tell her story of depression, self-injury, alcohol abuse, suicide attempt and recovery. She will remind others that mental health issues can affect anyone, that there is hope and that life is worth living.

Dagle will speak on the suicide loss of her son, Brian, the signs she did not see, and her story of hope and survival.

The Brian T. Dagle Foundation’s mission is to promote hope and healing for people who are grieving by providing support services, education and resources to nurture both their physical and emotional needs.

Light refreshments will be provided donated by the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home.

Additional information is available by contacting Dagle at ann@brianshealinghearts.org or David Putnam, the director of East Lyme Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services at (860) 739-5828.