Concerns Surrounding Youth Suicide and Self-Harm
According to Kidsdata.org, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24 statewide and nationally, behind only unintentional injuries and homicide. Rates of youth suicide and self-injury hospitalization, even among younger adolescents, have risen over the past decade. In 2018, the number of suicides among California youth ages 12-19 was 15% higher than in 2009, and incidents of youth self-harm requiring medical attention were 50% higher. A 2019 survey of U.S. high school students estimated that about one in five seriously considered suicide in the previous year, a figure more than 35% higher than findings from a decade earlier. Self-harm and suicides among young people have substantial emotional tolls on youth, families, and communities, as well as economic costs for society.
Suicide risk is higher for some groups than for others. While girls and young women more often seriously consider, plan, and attempt suicide, males are more likely than females to die by suicide—although the gap may be narrowing. Nationally, American Indian/Alaska Native youth have the highest suicide rate among racial/ethnic groups with data. In addition, LGBTQ youth are more likely to engage in suicidal behavior than their non-LGBTQ peers. Other common risk factors for youth suicide include prolonged stress, mental illness, disability, past suicide attempts, family history of suicide or mental disorders, poor family communication, stressful life events, placement in out-of-home settings, access to lethal means, and exposure to suicidal behavior of others.
Assembly Bill 2246 requires schools to adopt suicide prevention policies and mandates the administration of the program to students once in middle and once in high school. Tracy Unified School District provides this information to students in 8th and 10th grade. Participation in the program is voluntary and students may be opted out at any time.
If you do not want your student to participate in the Suicide Prevention Awareness Campaign, please submit your wishes in writing, to your student's school front office.
SOS Student Infographic
Parent Caregiver Handout - English
Parent Caregiver Handout - Spanish
Learn more by logging into the Youth Suicide Prevention Program Signs of Suicide (SOS) Portal by using the login credentials below for your school:
LOGIN TO SOS
