Suicide rates for young Americans are increasing. Here’s what states are doing about it.
Participants supported the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Chicagoland Walk on Oct. 21, 2023, in Chicago. Barry Brecheisen via Getty Images for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
A $68 million federal grant program announced last week during Suicide Prevention Month will help support state programs aimed at solving the youth mental health crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
The country saw a 62% increase in suicide rates from 2007 to 2021 among people ages 10 to 24, according to federal data. In the face of a nationwide mental health crisis, agencies at every level are trying to connect more young people with the treatment and resources they need.
It could be an uphill climb.
Youths are facing a range of stressors, said Brandon Johnson, branch chief of suicide prevention at the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services, like bullying, school performance, family strife, negative content on social media and social isolation. And many young people have underlying mental health conditions that go unaddressed because they can’t afford or access treatment or resources to manage their mental health.
Nationally, most young people with major depression don’t receive any treatment, according to a 2023 Mental Health America analysis of federal data. In Nevada, for instance, nearly 51% of youth reported experiencing a major depressive episode, but not receiving the mental health treatment they needed.
In a bid to shrink the services gap, the Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention is working with the Elko County, Churchchill County and Carson City school districts to improve suicide prevention and management efforts, helping as many as 20,000 students, the state’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health said in an email to Route Fifty.
Behind the push is a $68 million federal grant program announced earlier this month by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, aimed at supporting suicide and mental health programs across the U.S.
Nevada will use $735,000 in federal funds to implement a multiyear suicide prevention initiative, starting with educating school personnel and staff, students, and families on recognizing and responding to signs of mental health crises. The grant, a state health department spokesperson said, will help the state develop mental health training for school staff, administrators, parents, sports coaches and others who interact with school-aged youth.
It will also support efforts to weave mental health education into schools’ curricula, such as teaching students coping mechanisms, according to the grant announcement. In addition, the funds will help support an online platform the state uses for clinical providers to conduct mental health screenings, assessments and virtual interventions and for parents to find services and resources to address their children’s mental health.
Most of that work will focus on efforts at the middle and high school level, but elementary-level educators and staff will also receive mental health training.
Nevada officials will also use the grant money to strengthen continuums of care across schools, health care providers and other stakeholders. That includes, for instance, training caregivers on posthospital discharge plans to ensure students continue to receive mental health support after a crisis and creating a resource toolkit to support caregivers who interact with a youth experiencing suicidal ideation or attempts.
SAMHSA’s Johnson said it’s encouraging to see Nevada and other awardees of the $68 million grant program focus on continuity of care for mental health, particularly when it comes to following up on youths and their families after a suicide attempt or suicide ideation to sustain their recovery.
He added that many awardees are focusing their efforts on addressing disparities in mental health outcomes. Research shows, for example, that Black youths are experiencing sharper increases in suicide rates compared with other racial and ethnic groups.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, another grant awardee, is using its money to create a group of young Black people who will help shape efforts to address their peers’ mental health needs.
And in Utah, the Department of Health and Human Services will use $3 million in funds to improve mental health services for LGBTQ+ young people, migrant children and those experiencing homelessness, including supporting outreach and engagement strategies and access to diagnostic services and different types of therapies.