Special to IFN
RALEIGH — In response to a sharp increase in suicide rates among Black youth and young adults, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has released the N.C. Black Youth Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
This effort sheds light on communities which have been marginalized, where mental health challenges persist, and outlines initiatives to be implemented over the next five years to reduce injury and save the lives of Black youth and young adults.
“A community-led, ground-up approach is essential to address the increase in suicide rates among Black youth and young adults,” said Kelly Crosbie, 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.”
A review of 2023 data showed an urgent need for action and indicated Black populations were over-represented in emergency department visits for suicidal thoughts or self-injury, particularly among the 10-24 age group.
Additionally, research shows Black youth are over-represented in suicides and attempts but are under-represented in calls to 988, particularly in urban counties. Data showed from 2013-2022 more than half of Black youth and young adults who died by suicide used firearms.
Black families also 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 action plan was developed by NCDHHS in collaboration with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the UNC Suicide Prevention Institute and several community-based organizations and includes feedback from members of the public.
The plan identifies six objectives to improve the health and well-being of Black youth and young adults:
♦ 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.
Each objective includes a series of goals to guide policy-making decisions.
The plan includes many culturally relevant strategies to address the issue. These include expanded training efforts among trusted community partners, such as barbers, with specific attention to key programs: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), and information about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
DHHS will also support a statewide event on September 20 in Rocky Mount: The Stronger Together Conference. This unique conference is a free one-day, interactive experience centered on cultural connection, creative expression and community care. The event will bring together youth, young adults and advocates for a day of learning, healing and community building. Registration is open and available on the website. NCDHHS will provide more details about the event in the coming weeks.
Help is Available
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or need someone to talk to, you are not alone. Resources are available on the NCDHHS Suicide Prevention website for social or family situations, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, thoughts of suicide, alcohol or drug use, or if you just need someone to talk to. Our Crisis Services Communications Toolkit includes free flyers, posters and other resources to promote and explain crisis services in your community in English and Spanish.
For those in a mental health crisis, NCDHHS provides somewhere to go, someone to talk to and someone to respond. The 988 Lifeline Chat and Text – 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available to everyone 24/7 by call, text, or chat. Educational resources include 988 materials specifically designed for people who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
North Carolinians can call the Peer Warmline (1-855-PEERS NC [855-733-7762]) 24/7 to speak with a Peer Support Specialist. Peer Support Specialists (or “peers”) are people living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance use disorder who provide support to others who may have similar life experiences and can benefit from their lived experiences.
NCDHHS crisis services include mobile crisis teams that can come to you and community crisis centers, which are safe places where you can get help from a licensed clinician, without needing to go to the emergency room.