To help parents answer the monumental question – “How do I keep my kids safe?” – the city of Bellevue will host a forum April 18 with experts including the Bellevue School District superintendent, a police officer assigned to schools and a mental health counselor.

At the forum, people will get practical tips to minimize risks, and be able to ask questions about specific concerns they have. The forum will encourage dialogue, help the public gain an understanding of signs of distress in youth and introduce prevention techniques and intervention services that create a web of support for Bellevue youth.

“Life is so precious. Yet in the past couple of years, we’ve been reminded time and again by suicides or acts of violence that not every young person feels this way,” said Patti Skelton-McGougan, the executive director of Youth Eastside Services, who will be a moderator at the “Keeping Kids Safe in Our Community” forum, 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, at Bellevue College’s Carlson Theater.

The forum will include a panel of experts from the local mental health, education, and law enforcement. In addition to Skelton-McGougan, Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo will moderate. The panelists are:

Megan Kennedy, Mental Health Counselor, School Outreach, Youth Eastside Services

Danny Hanson, Violence Prevention Coordinator, Youth Eastside Services

Lt. Joe Nault, Supervisor, School Services Unit, Bellevue Police Department

Dr. Tim Mills, Superintendent, Bellevue Public Schools

Michelle Proulx, Bellevue School District, K-12 Counseling Curriculum Developer overseeing bullying prevention, Counseling and Social Emotional Learning Programs

Ilse Braun, Social Worker, Children’s Hospital

For more information or to submit questions for the panel, contact neighborhoodoutreach@bellevuewa.gov or Julie Ellenhorn at 425-452-5372.