The suicide rate among Black youth 10 to 19 rose 54% between 2018 and 2022 and, for the first time, exceeded that of their White peers, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Pew Charitable Trusts’ report on the alarming trend extensively cites NYU Silver School of Social Work Dean Michael A. Lindsey on strategies to address the increase. Those include access to culturally competent mental health providers and further research on the underlying causes. Additionally, said Dean Lindsey, “We must gain a better understanding of this trend—and what risk factors we may be missing—to design effective suicide risk screening tools and interventions for this population.”
The Pew story, written by Farzana Akkas & Allison Corr, cited the Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Task Force on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health’s 2019 report Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America. As the head of the working group of experts supporting the taskforce, Dean Lindsey helped assemble the report, which explored potential causes and solutions to the increasing rates of suicide among Black youth.
“I am heartened by the fact that since our report, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is allocating more research dollars to address the issue. Other advocacy organizations are stepping up to the plate with attention and resources as well,” said Lindsey.
Access the full story, “Black Adolescent Suicide Rate Reveals Urgent Need to Address Mental Health Care Barriers,” on the Pew Charitable Trusts website.
