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Collaboration Corner: Child & Youth Suicide Prevention 🧠❤️‍🩹

Writer's picture: Tyler MichaelTyler Michael

"Suicide is among the leading causes of death for children, adolescents, and young adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). The suicide rate among young people has risen dramatically over the past decade, indicating a critical need for suicide prevention efforts in schools and communities (Curtin & Heron, 2019). Estimates indicate that more than 1 out of every 6 high school students have considered suicide (Kann et al., 2018), and children as young as 4 years old have demonstrated suicidal behaviors (Hennefield et al., 2019; Plemmons et al., 2018).



Youth with mental health and chronic conditions— including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, autism, and traumatic brain injury—are at greater risk for suicide than their peers (Crawford et al., 2019; Horowitz et al., 2018; Richard et al., 2015; Sheftall et al., 2016). Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) commonly see young people with these conditions; therefore, it is critical that all OTPs educate themselves about youth suicide and advocate within their work places to enact preventative measures. Well-trained and supportive adults (e.g., therapists, teachers, parents) are more likely to be prepared to support youth experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Shain & Committee on Adolescence, 2016)."


Excerpt above from AOTA SIS Quarterly Practice Connections:


  • Click Here to read more about suicide prevention. 

  • Refer to the following Table that includes a list of "Screening Tools for Assessing Suicide Risk"



If you, a family member, or a friend have a mental health emergency, seek help right away. Trained crisis staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help via phone, text, or chat. The crisis lines are at no cost, confidential and open to anyone who needs help. For medical, police and fire emergency situations, always call 911.


 

National 24-Hour Crisis Hotlines

Phone

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

  • National Substance Use and Disorder Issues Referral and Treatment Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Text

  • Text the word "HOME" to 741741

  • Send a text to 988

Chat

For TTY Users

  • Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988

For those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, and late-deafened, and their families

  • Contact DeafLEAD, which provides 24-hour videophone access to crisis interpreters and crisis intervention services

  • Voice Phone: (573) 445-5005

  • Video Phone: (573) 303-5604

  • Text: HAND to 839863

Arizona Statewide Crisis Hotline

Suicide and Crisis Hotlines by County

  • Apache Country: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Cochise County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Coconino County: Care1st, 1-877-756-4090

  • Gila County: Mercy Care, 1-800-631-1314

  • Graham County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Greenlee County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • La Paz County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Navajo County: Care1st, 1-877-756-4090

  • Maricopa County: Mercy Care, 1-800-631-1314

  • Mohave: Care1st, 1-877-756-4090

  • Pima County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Pinal County: Mercy Care, 1-866-495-6735

  • Santa Cruz County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Yuma County: Arizona Complete Health - Complete Care Plan, 1-866-495-6735

  • Yavapai County: Care1st, 1-877-756-4090

  • Ak-Chin Indian Community: 1-800-259-3449

  • Gila River Indian Community: 1-800-259-3449

  • Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community: 1-855-331-6432

  • Tohono O’odham Nation: 1-844-423-8759

Especially for Teens

  • Teen Lifeline phone or text: 602-248-TEEN (8336)

Especially for Veterans

  • Veterans Crisis Line: 988 (press 1)

  • Be Connected: 1-866-4AZ-VETS (429-8387)

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