I will be your protector: Black youth mental health & suicide prevention policy

• In Event: Mental Health and Help-Seeking Across Cultural Contexts

Abstract

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Ring the Alarm report (2020) details the significant mental health trends impacting Black youth. In particular, Black youth are experiencing a rise in mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, along with increased risk of suicide. The realities of this trend are ever-present in P-12 schools where schools are often the site of dehumanizing conditions that overlay the mental health and social emotional needs of Black youth. In response, authors share the results of a suicide prevention training policy pilot in a large urban school district and community. Recommendations for school policy and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Renae D. Mayes, University of Arizona

• Lauren C. Mims, New York University

• Paul C. Harris, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Adriana D. Cimetta, University of Arizona