A conference on Youth in Crisis, that will highlight mental health issues facing local communities and the nation, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at Northshore Baptist Church, 10301 NE 145th St., Kirkland.

Sponsored by NAMI, the conference’s goals are to educate families, mental health providers and educators and help them identify the early warning signs of mental illness, especially as it relates to lethal violence and suicide in youth.

The conference will start with a keynote speech presented by Dan Reidenberg, director of SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education). Reidenberg also serves as Managing Director of the National Council for Suicide Prevention and is the US representative to the International Association for Suicide Prevention.

Several workshops will include panelists who will present and interact with the conference attendees. Workshop topics cover Suicide Prevention; Eating Disorders; Mood, Anxiety and Psychotic Disorders; Special Mental Health Needs; Community Mental Health Support Services; Legal and Educational Issues Related to Mental Illness; Co-occurring Conditions; and a Town Hall Forum: Mental Illness in Families: Impact and Perspective.

The conference is free however, space is limited and registration will be on a first come/first served basis. Pre-registration is recommended by calling 425-885-6264.

More information is available by visiting the NAMI web site: www.nami-eastside.org.