As the spotlight turns to children’s mental health during National Children’s Mental Health Week, the topic of youth suicides has once again been raised, as the alarming trend has not subsided. A 2018 study found that the problem was been even more dire for Black children aged five through twelve, compared to White children of the same age group. Due to this study, and its subsequent public health concerns, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), has recently declared that this is an issue that should be taken seriously as it has reached crisis levels and has been “an overlooked national emergency.”
The research study that was funded by the National Institutes of Health and appeared in JAMA Pediatrics, suggested the need for more research to arrive at conclusions for contributing factors in order to arrive at any ideas to intervene or prevent future suicides. However, during Mental Health Awareness Month, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman of the CBC is chairing a task force on Youth Suicide and Mental Health to raise awareness among members of Congress and staff to identify legislative recommendations to address this crisis of youth suicides.
If you or your child is having suicidal thoughts or making threats or statements to self-harm, treat it like you would any medical emergency, call 911 immediately! Follow up with all recommended therapeutic consults and take all medications as directed.
To schedule a non-emergency appointment at any of our convenient Primary Medical Care Center community clinics, you may visit our website at www.primarymed.com, or call (305)751-1500 for our Miami-Dade clinic, or (954)289-0000 for our Broward clinic.