Preventing youth suicide

Thank you to Division 37 member, Jennifer Blossom, PhD (she/her) for cultivating these resources.

• Suicide is a leading cause of death for youth and recent data suggest rates of youth suicide continue to rise (> 200% increase from 1999-2014).
• Discrimination, such as racism and transphobia, increase youth suicide risk. Having even one supportive adult in a youth’s life can significantly decrease risk of suicide.
• Research has identified multiple risk factors for youth suicide and acute risk is best understood based on a youth’s own history (i.e., risk formulation; Pisani et al., 2016). Caregivers play a key role in supporting youth safety.
• Youth suicide is a preventable public health concern. There are many things we can do to help reduce youth suicide. As a starting point, clinicians should use destigmatizing language when discussing suicide (e.g., died by suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts and behaviors).
• When youth are identified at risk for suicide, treatment should focus on suicide as the primary clinical concern. Evidence-based treatments for youth suicide include Safety Planning Intervention and Lethal Means Restriction, the Collaborative Assessment and Management for Suicide (CAMS-4Teens), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).