News & Highlights

This section presents news and highlights from SPRC and the suicide prevention field. Use the filters on the left to find the following items:

  • Weekly Spark, SPRC’s online newsletter, containing brief news articles, research summaries, announcements, and funding opportunities. Subscribe to the Weekly Spark.
  • Director’s Corner, a monthly column by SPRC leadership and guest authors.
  • From the Field, innovative activities being implemented in states, communities, healthcare organizations, and other settings.

Displaying 38 results. Refine results using the filters on the left.

Weekly Spark

Universal Suicide Risk Screening in Teens

November 17, 2023
This article responds to a recent recommendation statement from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (UPSTF) on universal suicide...
Weekly Spark

New CDC Campaign Asks Health Care Leaders to Take Responsibility for Reducing Burnout

November 10, 2023
STAT A new campaign offers health care leaders data-driven strategies to address health worker burnout. Unlike many workplace programs that...
Weekly Spark

LGBTQ Teens Often Struggle to Find Mental Health Care Tailored to Them

October 20, 2023
NBC News There is a critical shortage of mental health care tailored for LGBTQ youth. According to a recent study,...
Weekly Spark

As Suicide Rates Rise, Bereavement Camps Bring Healing to Kids Left Behind

September 29, 2023
TIME Bereavement camps are helping kids heal from suicide loss. A network of camps across the U.S. offers supportive spaces...
Weekly Spark

Mental Health Respite Facilities Are Filling Care Gaps in Over a Dozen States

September 22, 2023
CBS News Mental health respite facilities may help meet the needs of people who are struggling but do not need...
Weekly Spark

The Toll of Police Violence on Black People’s Mental Health

September 15, 2023
The New York Times According to research, when a Black person is hurt or killed by the police in the...
Weekly Spark

New Laws Aim to Combat the Youth Mental Health Crisis. Here’s What They Do

September 08, 2023
Education Week A new report outlines recommendations and progress on state support for student mental health. Released by Inseparable’s Hopeful...
Weekly Spark

ChatGPT’s Responses to Suicide, Addiction, Sexual Assault Crises Raise Questions in New Study

September 01, 2023
CNN Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT may not be reliable sources of help for people in crisis, according to...
Weekly Spark

UTAH: No One Knows How Many LGBTQ Americans Die by Suicide

September 01, 2023
The New York Times Most death investigations in the U.S. do not collect data on sexual orientation or gender identity,...
Weekly Spark

Surgeon General Lays Out Framework to Tackle Loneliness and “Mend the Social Fabric of Our Nation”

August 25, 2023
CNN U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently released an advisory on the country’s “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” Part of...
Weekly Spark

U.S. Depression Rates Reach New Highs

August 25, 2023
Gallup Rates of current and lifetime depression among U.S. adults are the highest since Gallup began collecting these data in...
Weekly Spark

For One Group of Teenagers, Social Media Seems a Clear Net Benefit

August 04, 2023
The New York Times While social media may be harmful for some teens, it can be a lifeline for LGBTQ...
Weekly Spark

MASSACHUSETTS: Program at William James College Tries to Reduce Veteran Suicide by Focusing on Relationship to Guns

August 04, 2023
WBUR A college program is training mental health professionals how to talk about reducing access to guns with veterans at...
Weekly Spark

NEW YORK: Street Teams and Clubhouses: A New Plan to Help Mentally Ill New Yorkers

July 14, 2023
The New York Times New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently announced a plan to increase services for people with...
Weekly Spark

988 Suicide Lifeline Expanding LGBTQ Services with 24/7 Chat and Text

July 07, 2023
ABC News The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is offering 24/7 specialized services for LGBTQ+ young people. In September, the...
Weekly Spark

Student-Athletes Aren't Immune from Suicide Risk. Colleges Are Taking Notice.

July 07, 2023
CBS News Colleges are increasing mental health supports for student athletes. These efforts follow the recent suicide deaths of college...
Weekly Spark

The Veterans Crisis Line Is Fielding a Record Number of Cries for Help, VA Stats Show

June 16, 2023
NBC News The Veterans Crisis Line is experiencing record call volume. In March of this year, the crisis line received...
Weekly Spark

Almost Half of Children Who Go to ER With Mental Health Crisis Don’t Get the Follow-Up Care They Need, Study Finds

June 09, 2023
CNN A new study found that many children don’t receive the follow-up care they need following a mental emergency department...
Weekly Spark

ENGLAND: Women Who Suffer Domestic Abuse Three Times as Likely to Attempt Suicide

June 09, 2023
The Guardian A recent study in England found a link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and self-harm and suicidality. This...
Weekly Spark

What Students Are Saying About the CDC Report on Teen Sadness

June 02, 2023
The New York Times Teens are reflecting on recent national data that show they are struggling with their mental health....
Weekly Spark

One in Four Black Transgender and Nonbinary Youth Attempted Suicide in Past Year, Survey Finds

May 19, 2023
CNN According to a study by The Trevor Project, a quarter of Black transgender and nonbinary youth reported a suicide...
Weekly Spark

Black Adults More Likely to Seek Mental Health Treatment at EDs, Pre-pandemic Data Show

May 19, 2023
Fierce Health Care According to a recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics, Black adults were nearly twice...
Weekly Spark

How Districts Can Respond to a Student’s Suicide

April 28, 2023
Education Week Planning can help schools and districts prepare to respond appropriately to a student suicide. It is critical that...
Weekly Spark

Pentagon's Suicide Prevention Committee Recommends Age Limit and Waiting Period for On-Base Gun Purchases

April 28, 2023
CNN An independent committee set up by the Pentagon recently released a report that includes 127 recommendations for preventing suicide...
Weekly Spark

Teen Girls Report Record Levels of Sadness, CDC Finds

April 14, 2023
The New York Times Recent national data suggest teen girls are experiencing increased sadness, suicidal thoughts, and sexual violence. The...
Weekly Spark

Most LGBTQ Youth Can’t Access Mental Health Care. How Schools Can Help

March 24, 2023
Education Week According to a recent report from The Trevor Project, most LGBTQ students in all but two states said...
Weekly Spark

MICHIGAN: Blue-Collar Suicides Focus of State Prevention Effort

March 24, 2023
Bridge Michigan Michigan is taking steps to address suicide in the construction industry. In 2019, the suicide rate among the...
Weekly Spark

Following a Two-Year Decline, Suicide Rates Rose Again in 2021

March 03, 2023
The New York Times A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that suicide rates...
Weekly Spark

Lessons From Ecuador on Responding to the Mental Health Crisis in the U.S. and around the World

March 03, 2023
STAT According to a recent opinion piece, a pilot mental health care program in Ecuador could provide a model for...
Weekly Spark

I Don’t Wanna Be: Suicide Rates Are Rising among Young Black Men

February 24, 2023
The Atlanta Voice Overall suicide rates among Black people are lower than among White people in the U.S., but recent...
Weekly Spark

Military Veterans Can Now Receive Free Emergency Mental Health Care

February 24, 2023
CNN Under a new policy from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), military veterans experiencing a suicidal crisis can now receive...
Weekly Spark

988 Mental Health Line Receives Over Two Million Calls and Texts in Six Months

February 10, 2023
PBS NewsHour In the six months after its transition to a three-digit number, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline received more than...
Weekly Spark

A Look at the Mental Health Stigmas Faced by Asian Americans

February 03, 2023
ebn Asian Americans may face more barriers to accessing mental health than other groups. Some of those barriers are cultural,...
Weekly Spark

How to Get More Men to Try Therapy

January 27, 2023
The New York Times Experts are working to tailor mental health supports for men. Compared to women, men are more...
Weekly Spark

Reading First-Hand Stories May Help Reduce Suicidal Thoughts

January 20, 2023
Psychiatric Times Personal stories about managing suicidal thoughts may help others who are struggling, a recent study found. The study was designed...
Weekly Spark

With Homicide the Leading Cause of Maternal Mortality, New Research Shows a Link to Firearms and Intimate Partner Violence

January 13, 2023
STAT Homicide is the leading cause of death in pregnancy and just after giving birth, and suicide rates in this...
Weekly Spark

A Look Back at National News in 2022

January 06, 2023
Surgeon General Warns of Youth Mental Health Crisis—The New York Times What Employers Need to Know about Suicide Prevention—Harvard Business...
Weekly Spark

A Look Back at State and Community News in 2022

January 06, 2023
MASSACHUSETTS: At a 988 Call Center, Volunteers Embrace a New Number while Providing Familiar Hope—STAT New Hampshire School Districts Move...