Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Suicide

Oversight Hearing on Suicide Prevention Programs and their Application in Indian Country

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:40:01 -0500

CFK Reports From: Oversight Hearing on Suicide Prevention Programs and their Application in Indian Country
Event: Hearing
Organized By: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Where/When: 485 Russell Senate Office Building; May 17, 2006

The statistics are grim: American Indian youth have the highest suicide rate among all ethnic groups, a rate that is almost twice the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To address this issue, youth suicide prevention programs have been created to better serve the community. Two panels presented written testimony about their experiences, findings, and goals on suicide prevention programs to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Will's Choice: A Suicidal Teen, a Desperate Mother, and a Chronicle of Recovery

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:37:29 -0500

Gail Griffith tells an unsparing tale of her son Will's attempt to kill himself, and the complicated road to recovery.

The Trevor Project: Help for Suicidal Gay Teens

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:08:11 -0500

State and national surveys indicate that gay and lesbian teens are at a significantly higher risk of attempting suicide than their heterosexual peers. But there is help available, geared especially towards the needs of this group: The Trevor Project. Letitia L. Star reports.

Child Trends Indicator: Depressive Symptoms Among Young Adults

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:35:12 -0500

Data indicate the incidence of depressive symptoms in youth increases during adolescence and peaks during young adulthood. Depression affects physiological and social functioning, interpersonal relationships, employment, substance abuse, and indicates a "more dissatisfied life." Young people ages 18-24 living below the poverty line were more likely (8 percent) to report suffering from two or more symptoms of depression in the past 30 days than their peers living at or above poverty (5 percent).

Columbia University TeenScreen Program

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:50:57 -0500

The Columbia University TeenScreen Program is a voluntary adolescent mental health and suicide prevention screening initiative, which exists in 44 states, Guam, South Korea, and Panama. The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health recognized the TeenScreen Program as a model program in its July 2003 final report. In addition, the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) listed the TeenScreen Program as a Promising Program on its list of Evidence-Based Practices in Suicide Prevention Programs. TeenScreen offers consultation, the screening instruments, and training, free of charge to qualifying communities.

Help with the Healing, on the Web

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:20:00 -0600

Whether a trauma happens in a family, a community or a country, children respond differently and need different supports to heal and adapt. Fortunately, the Web offers a wide world of resources, and Connect for Kids has collected some of the best.

States Limit Student Mental Health Screening, NMHA Responds

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:08:49 -0500

In mid-2005, several states moved to prohibit mental health screening in schools and limit the ability of school personnel to make recommendations or discuss behavioral health issues with parents. Alaska, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont have all seen legislation introduced. The National Mental Health Association says these are dangerous moves.

Evaluating the Risk of Suicide Screening Programs

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:05:57 -0500

Asking high school students if they have ever tried or through about suicide does not appear to put them at risk of doing so, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Suicide Rate for Children, Teens Drops

Sun, 19 Dec 2004 15:24:17 -0600

Child and teen suicide rates are down about 25 percent in the last decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gun suicides, in particular, fell sharply.

A Whole-Family Approach to Meds

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:40:48 -0500

Growing concerns that some antidepressants may be linked to an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thinking in children and adolescents has raised the stakes for families struggling to help a depressed child. Connect for Kids interviewed two experts?Dr. Stanley Greenspan and Dr. Lawrence H. Diller?and found powerful similarities in the message each one has for parents.

Ribbons of Hope

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 14:27:05 -0600

Emotional upheaval is part of adolescence. But depression and thoughts of death pose a serious threat to teens, for whom suicide is the third leading cause of death. How can a friend, teacher, or coach help a despairing teen? The Yellow Ribbon program offers a starting place. Lee Nelson reports.

Receipt of Psychological or Emotional Counseling by Suicidal Adolescents

Sun, 05 Dec 2004 14:59:43 -0600

In 1999, 19 percent of high school students reported seriously considering suicide in the past year. A new Pediatrics study notes that counseling services, which are vital, are available to fewer than one-third of suicidal teens. Those who had made a suicide attempt were almost twice as likely to receive access to counseling as those who had only considered suicide.

Teen Suicide

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:44:33 -0500

Suicide, a leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds, has increased dramatically in recent years. Learn the warning signs of teen suicide and how to help in these resources from the National Ment