About Us
Our Story
The Greater Boston Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition (GBRSPC) is one of ten regional coalitions that operate under the umbrella of Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP).
Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) is an inclusive alliance of suicide prevention advocates, including public and private agency representatives, policy makers, suicide loss and attempt survivors, impacted family and friends, mental health and public health consumers and providers, and concerned citizens who are dedicated to working together to reduce the incidence of suicide and self-harm across the Commonwealth.
Our Mission
GBRSPC conducts activities and events for suicide prevention in Greater Boston, including screenings, public awareness events and campaigns, and community and legislative conversations, often partnering with a wide variety of stakeholders in our communities.
Meet Our Co-Chairs
Dr. Pata Suyemoto
Dr. Pata Suyemoto is a feminist scholar, writer, educator, diversity trainer, mental health activist, jewelry designer, and avid bicyclist. She earned her PhD. from the University of Pennsylvania and did her research on anti-racist education and issues of race and racism. She is the co-chair for the Greater Boston Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition and the chair of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) Alliance for Equity’s People of Color Caucus. Pata is one of the authors of Widening the Lens: Exploring the Role of Social Justice in Suicide Prevention – A Racial Equity Toolkit. She has spoken and written about being a suicide attempt survivor, her struggles with depression and is a co-founder of The Breaking Silences Project www.thebreakingsilencesproject.com, which is an artistic endeavor that educates about the high rates of depression and suicide among Asian American young women. She is also a long-time volunteer for Asian Women for Health and is a trainer and wellness coach for the Achieving Whole Health program. Pata is also member of a number of boards and committees including the MCSP’s Executive Committee, the planning committee for the annual Asian American Mental Health Forum, and the Department of Public Health’s Suicide Prevention Community Advisory Board. She is active in the American Association of Suicidology’s Impacted Family and Friends (IFF) Division, the Attempt Survivors/Lived Experience (AS/LE) Division, and the Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee. Her claim to fame is that she rode her bicycle across the country in the summer of 2012.
Mary Curlew, LICSW, is the Community Education and Training Specialist for Services for Older Adults at Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Waltham, MA. She is a Mental Health and Housing team member through JF&CS providing training and consultation for staff and residents in independent senior housing and related agencies. Mary has over 20 years’ experience providing mental health services and training in a variety of settings. Her specialties include trauma informed care, older adult behavioral health, caregiver support and holistic approaches to health care. Mary is a graduate of Boston College’s Graduate School of Social Work and has advanced training in EMDR, CBT, DBT and mindfulness. More personally, Mary is a suicide loss survivor and deeply committed to advocating for suicide prevention efforts for this reason.