KANSAS: Task Force Recommends Adding State Coordinator for Youth Suicide Prevention

KMUW

A Kansas task force has released recommendations to prevent youth suicide. The Kansas attorney general and Tower Mental Health Foundation convened the task force in 2018 to help address the state’s rising youth suicide rates. Recommendations include increasing access to mental health services, offering suicide prevention training in schools, and adding a full-time suicide prevention coordinator to the attorney general’s office. They also call for increased coordination and data sharing between local and state officials. The recommendations were developed with input from prevention experts and people affected by youth suicide. “We are proud to offer these recommendations as next steps Kansas can take to reduce, and hopefully eradicate, youth suicide in Kansas,” said Task Force Co-chair Jennifer Schmidt.

Spark Extra! Read the task force recommendations.