A statement regarding the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention news release from John Draper, Ph. D., Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Chief Clinical Officer of the Mental Health Association of New York City
Today, the CDC released new data that discusses the death rates of youth aged 10-14. The data compares suicide rates, motor vehicle rates and homicide rates for youth. Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a program administered by MHA-NYC, shares his thoughts on this release and the statement by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
I urge everyone to please read this important release from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention in response to the CDC report of a slight rise in suicide among 10-14 year olds in comparison to dramatic reductions in motor vehicle deaths among the same population. There are three things that these findings underscore: (a) Committed federal investment in reducing deaths related to major public health issues can be extremely successful, as in the case with motor vehicle-related deaths; (b) federal investments in reducing motor vehicle deaths are roughly 10-fold of what is committed to preventing suicides, the nation’s tenth leading cause of death; and (c) there are very effective suicide prevention programs that could significantly reduce the national suicide rate if properly supported and resourced. Reducing motor vehicle accidents is called one of the great public health achievements of the twentieth century. For this century, we can have one of the great public health achievements reducing suicide. We need to make sure this message is heard far and wide.
Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Chief Clinical Officer of the Mental Health Association of New York City
Click here to read the full statement from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The Mental Health Association of New York City is a partner of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the public-private partnership advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and championing suicide prevention as a national priority.
