What NC Officials Are Doing About Rising Black Suicide Rates
Black Youth Suicide Rates Rise in NC: What Officials Are Doing to Help
State mental health experts are providing new resources to curb the increase in suicide rates among Black youth in North Carolina.
The NC Department of Health and Human Services said that the rate of suicides among Black teenagers and young adults are surging across the state. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Black children ages 10 to 18 and the third leading cause of death for ages 19 to 34.
Black youth suicide rates are at a rapid increase across the nation. According to data from a study using responses of over 7,600 Black middle school students, approximately 28% reported some form of suicidality, with higher rates among female participants.
Kelly Crosbie, director of the state’s Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, told the Raleigh News and Observer that Black youths are more likely to die by suicide compared to white youths.
So, what are state leaders doing to combat this?
In July, state leaders released the Black Youth Suicide Prevention Action Plan. This plan highlighted the risk of Black youth suicide across the state, highlighting an initiative to to be implemented over the next five years aimed at reducing injury and death by suicide among Black youth and young adults.
The BYSPAP expressed the need for concentrated outreach in certain counties, including:
- Durham
- Guildford
- Wake
- Mecklenburg
- Forsyth
- Pitt
- Gaston
- Johnston
- Cumberland
- Harnett
- Onslow
- Brunswick
- Edgecombe
- Franklin
- Halifax
- Hoke
- New Hanover
The Action Plan also highlighted that Black families experience significant barriers to accessing medical and mental health services, “due to a variety of socio-economic factors, including effective cultural communication from providers and a lack of access to a provider with a shared identity,” the plan explained.
“A community-led, ground-up approach is essential to address the increase in suicide rates among Black youth and young adults,” said Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW NCDHHS Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services. “NCDHHS wants to ensure everyone has the support they need before, during, and after a personal crisis, especially groups that are disproportionately affected.”
The plan identifies six objectives to improve the health and well-being of Black youth and young adults, which include:
- Establish the Community of Practice and Education (COPE) initiative to lead, develop and champion suicide prevention efforts at the community level, targeting Black youth and young adults in North Carolina.
- Strengthen supportive mental health services for Black youth, incorporating both peer support specialists and peer-to-peer support systems.
- Enhance awareness and training for suicide prevention, specifically for Black youth.
- Reduce access to lethal means among Black youth.
- Strengthen protective factors for Black youth to support mental well-being.
- Establish a comprehensive understanding of the suicide prevention needs of Black youth through data analysis and reporting to inform targeted interventions and increase awareness.
State leaders with DHHS will be attending the Stronger Together Conference being held on Sept. 20 in Rocky Mount, NC. The event is highlighted to bring together youth, young adults and others in the community who are mental health advocates for a free one-day event for learning and healing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and need someone to talk to, you can call, text or chat the free Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Black Youth Suicide Rates Rise in NC: What Officials Are Doing to Help was originally published on foxync.com
