Addressing the Crisis of Black Youth Suicide

"Each September, people in the U.S. and around the world observe Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to help raise awareness and share information about this important public health concern. As director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), I have made suicide prevention one of my top priorities, and although I have written about suicide in the past, I wanted to revisit this topic to bring attention to this critical area of concern.

One often overlooked aspect of the rising rates of suicide in the U.S. is its impact on youth — and in particular, its impact on Black youth. Black people face increased rates of risk factors, including experiences of racism, higher rates of unemployment and financial and food insecurity, disparities in other aspects of health, and limited access to care, all of which result in an increased burden of mental illness in black communities. Despite this heavy burden, Black people and individuals in other racial and ethnic minority groups have historically had relatively low rates of suicide. But this has been changing recently, especially for Black youth. As of 2018, suicide became the second leading cause of death in Black children aged 10-14, and the third leading cause of death in Black adolescents aged 15-19. By combining data from 2001 to 2015, researchers were able to examine suicides among children ages 12 and younger and found that Black children were more likely to die by suicide than their White peers.

This crisis of Black youth suicide is beginning to receive the attention it deserves. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and the Congressional Black Caucus deserve credit for raising awareness of the issue and for establishing the Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health. Their report, Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America, was released in December 2019. This report describes key research findings related to suicide among Black youth. Most importantly, it provides research, policy, and practice recommendations to address this issue, such as improving research funding of minority scientists and increasing funding of research focused on Black youth suicide and Black youth mental health..."
Black youth suicide 

#BeThere to Help Prevent Suicide

"Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities.  Suicide is more than a mental health concern.

A recent CDC study showed that a range of factors contribute to suicide among those with and without known mental health conditions. Everyone can help prevent suicide by knowing the warning signs and where to get help.

The Facts About Suicide

Suicide is a public health problem because of its far-reaching effects:

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
• One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes.
• In 2017, 10.6 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million made a plan, and 1.4 million attempted suicide.
• People who have experienced violence, including child abuse, bullying, or sexual violence are at higher risk for suicide.

Suicide prevention is everyone’s business. You can #BeThereexternal icon and #BeThe1Toexternal icon help a friend, loved one, or coworker. Everyone can learn the warning signs and how to get help..."
Suicide

Suicide Rates by Major Occupational Group — 17 States, 2012 and 2015

"During 2000–2016, the suicide rate among the U.S. working age population (persons aged 16–64 years) increased 34%, from 12.9 per 100,000 population to 17.3 (https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars). To better understand suicide among different occupational groups and inform suicide prevention efforts, CDC analyzed suicide deaths by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) major groups for decedents aged 16–64 years from the 17 states participating in both the 2012 and 2015 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) (https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nvdrs). The occupational group with the highest male suicide rate in 2012 and 2015 was Construction and Extraction (43.6 and 53.2 per 100,000 civilian noninstitutionalized working persons, respectively), whereas the group with the highest female suicide rate was Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media (11.7 [2012] and 15.6 [2015]). The largest suicide rate increase among males from 2012 to 2015 (47%) occurred in the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupational group (26.9 to 39.7) and among females, in the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, from 6.1 to 9.4 (54%). CDC’s technical package of strategies to prevent suicide is a resource for communities, including workplace settings..."
Suicide rates by groups

Preventing Suicide

"Suicide can be prevented. September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, and the entire month is dedicated to suicide prevention awareness in the United States. Help prevent suicide in your community by knowing the warning signs and where to get help.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that affects people of all ages.

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for Americans overall and the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10–34.
• Suicide rates increased more than 30 percent in half of states since 1999.
• In 2016, nearly 45,000 lives were lost to suicide across the United States.

Deaths from suicide are only part of the problem.

• More than 1.3 million adults self-reported a suicide attempt.
• Almost 10 million adults self-reported serious thoughts of suicide.

Suicide is more than a mental health concern. A recent CDC study showed that a range of factors contribute to suicide among those with and without known mental health conditions. However, suicide is preventable.

States and communities, including, public health, healthcare, schools, the media, and community organizations can do a lot to prevent suicide. Research has uncovered a wealth of information about the factors that contribute to suicide risk and prevention strategies. CDC has released a technical package, Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices[6.09 MB], to help inform decisions about prevention strategies that are based on the best available evidence.."
Suicide

Suicide rising across the US

"Suicide is a leading cause of death in the US. Suicide rates increased in nearly every state from 1999 through 2016. Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death. Other problems often contribute to suicide, such as those related to relationships, substance use, physical health, and job, money, legal, or housing stress. Making sure government, public health, healthcare, employers, education, the media and community organizations are working together is important for preventing suicide. Public health departments can bring together these partners to focus on comprehensive state and community efforts with the greatest likelihood of preventing suicide.

States and communities can:

• Identify and support people at risk of suicide.
• Teach coping and problem-solving skills to help people manage challenges with their relationships, jobs, health, or other concerns.
• Promote safe and supportive environments. This includes safely storing medications and firearms to reduce access among people at risk.
• Offer activities that bring people together so they feel connected and not alone.
• Connect people at risk to effective and coordinated mental and physical healthcare.
• Expand options for temporary help for those struggling to make ends meet.
• Prevent future risk of suicide among those who have lost a loved one to suicide..."

Suicide

Suicide in the Military: Army-NIH Funded Study Points to Risk and Protective Factors

" The largest study of mental health risk and resilience ever conducted among U.S. military personnel today released its first findings related to suicide attempts and deaths in a series of three JAMA Psychiatry articles. Findings from The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS ) include: the rise in suicide deaths from 2004 to 2009 occurred not only in currently and previously deployed soldiers, but also among soldiers never deployed; nearly half of soldiers who reported suicide attempts indicated their first attempt was prior to enlistment; and soldiers reported higher rates of certain mental disorders than civilians, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intermittent explosive disorder (recurrent episodes of extreme anger or violence), and substance use disorder..."
Suicide in military

Preventing Suicide

"Suicide (i.e., taking one's own life) is a serious public health problem that affects people of all ages. It is the 10th leading cause of death for Americans. Suicide resulted in 38,364 lives lost in 2010. The top three methods used in suicides included firearm (51%), suffocation (25%), and poisoning (17%)..."
Preventing suicide

Army Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Report
" (July 29, 2010) -- The Army today released the Health Promotion, Risk Reduction, and Suicide Prevention (HP/RR/SP) Report, the result of a focused 15-month effort to better understand the increasing rate of suicides in the force. This candid report is intended to inform and educate Army leaders on the importance of recognizing and reducing high risk behavior related to suicide and accidental death, and reducing the stigma associated with behavioral health and treatment. This report represents the next phase in the Army’s ongoing campaign to promote resiliency in a force that has been at war for nearly a decade.

“The dedicated effort behind this report sends a clear message to our force that we take the resiliency of our soldiers and families very seriously,” said Secretary of the Army John McHugh. “This effort is part of our culture to look closely at ourselves, and to make continuous improvements in our capability – but most importantly, to reduce the number of soldiers we lose to suicide.”

“This comprehensive review exposes gaps in how we identify, engage, and mitigate high-risk behavior among our soldiers. After nearly a decade of war we must keep pace with the expanding needs of our strained Army, and continuously identify and address the gaps that exist in our policies, programs and services,” said Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr...."

Characteristics of Juvenile Suicide in Confinement
"Provides the results of a survey on juvenile suicides occurring in confinement between 1995 and 1999. The study examined the demographic characteristics and social history of each victim, the characteristics of the incident, and the features of the juvenile facility in which the suicide took place. This OJJDP Bulletin provides suggestions for addressing the problem and recommendations for prevention planning."

Veteran's Affairs Suicide Prevention Panel Completes Draft Report
"A blue-ribbon panel has praised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its “comprehensive strategy” in suicide prevention that includes a “number of initiatives and innovations that hold great promise for preventing suicide attempts and completions.”

Among the initiatives and innovations the group studied were VA’s Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK. The lifeline is staffed by trained professionals 24 hours a day to deal with any immediate crisis that may be taking place. Nearly 33,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have called the lifeline in the year that it has been operating. Of those, there have been more than 1,600 rescues to prevent possible tragedy.

Other initiatives noted included the hiring of suicide prevention coordinators at each of VA’s 153 medical facilities, the establishment of a Mental Health Center of Excellence in Canandaigua, N.Y., focusing on developing and testing clinical and public health intervention standards for suicide prevention, the creation of an additional research center on suicide prevention in Denver, which focuses on research in the clinical and neurobiological conditions that can lead to increased suicide risk and a plus-up in staff making more than 400 mental health professionals entirely dedicated to suicide prevention..."