Suicide Issue Brief

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. Often suicide occurs as a result of multiple stressors and health issues paired with feelings of hopelessness and despair. Mental health conditions, specifically anxiety, depression and substance use problems, increase an individual’s risk for suicide, especially when such conditions go undiagnosed and untreated. This Issue Brief includes an overview of suicidality and signs that a student may be at risk for attempting suicide, a brief discussion of what schools can do to address and prevent suicide, as well as some programs and strategies to consider implementing in your school community.