Call to Action: Addressing the Black Youth Suicide Crisis-Presentation and q&a

Presentation and q&a

Pdf Summary

This document is a summary of a presentation titled "Call to Action: Addressing the Black Youth Suicide Crisis" by Tami Benton, MD. The presentation discusses the emerging trends in suicide and suicide-related behaviors among minoritized youth, with a focus on Black youth. The speaker highlights that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are at increased risk for suicide and have different age trends than the general population. LGBTQ youth also have higher rates of suicidality, with Black and LatinX LGBTQ+ youth facing even higher rates.<br /><br />The document discusses various risk factors for suicide among Black youth, including neighborhood violence, economic insecurity, adverse childhood experiences, historical trauma, racism, and discrimination. Protective factors identified include strong familial support, high ethnic identification, religious and spiritual engagement, and community/social support.<br /><br />The presentation emphasizes the need for improved suicide care and treatment for Black youth. It highlights disparities in psychiatric emergency department visits and the underutilization of mental health services. The document suggests interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, care navigation, and culturally competent care as ways to improve engagement and retention in mental health services for Black youth.<br /><br />The speaker also discusses the importance of identifying and addressing racial trauma and emphasizes the need for racially attuned collective coping strategies. The document includes information on the impact of racial and ethnic disparities in diagnoses of mental health conditions, including conduct disorders and ADHD.<br /><br />Overall, the presentation calls for a proactive approach to suicide prevention and mental health care for Black youth, including culturally appropriate interventions and the involvement of care navigators and clinicians who match the race and ethnicity of the patients. It emphasizes the need for further research on effective interventions and strategies to reduce suicide risk among Black youth.

Keywords

Black youth suicide

minoritized youth

emerging trends

suicide-related behaviors

BIPOC

LGBTQ youth

risk factors

protective factors

improved suicide care

culturally competent care