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 41 results. Refine results using the filters on the left.

Weekly Spark

Myth that Suicides Peak during the Holidays Could Cause Harm

December 16, 2022
HealthDay Some media reports contain misinformation about holiday suicides, according to a recent analysis. Researchers looked at monthly national suicide numbers...
Weekly Spark

INTERNATIONAL: Health Workers’ Mental Health: Addressing the Invisible Global Pandemic

December 16, 2022
STAT Experts are calling for a comprehensive approach to supporting health workers’ mental health. Around the world, health workers face...
Weekly Spark

Too Few Young People Get Mental Health Follow-Up after ER Visit

December 09, 2022
HealthDay A new study highlights the need for more follow-up care after young people experience mental health crises. Researchers looked at data...
Weekly Spark

“I Want to Help My People”: Tribal Nations in Oklahoma Focus on Mental Health Treatment

December 09, 2022
KOSU Tribal nations in eastern Oklahoma are integrating mental health supports with their criminal justice systems. For example, the Choctaw...
Weekly Spark

Gun-Related Suicides and Killings Continued to Rise in 2021, CDC Reports

December 02, 2022
The New York Times Recent data suggest more efforts are needed to address firearm suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control...
Weekly Spark

Poor Mental Health in U.S. Teens Exacerbated by Negative Experiences during Covid-19 Pandemic, Survey Finds

December 02, 2022
CNN In a recent study, most teens reported having at least one adverse childhood experience during the pandemic. Adverse childhood experiences,...
Weekly Spark

WASHINGTON: A First-in-the-Nation 988 Line for Native People Goes Live in WA

November 18, 2022
The Seattle Times Washington residents now have access to the country’s first-ever 988 crisis line for Native people. Launched last...
Weekly Spark

Implementation of the 988 Number Brought More Calls and Texts to the National Suicide Prevention and Crisis Hotline This Summer—And Early Data Show Answer Rates Improved or Held Steady

November 11, 2022
KFF Newsroom In the month after its transition to a three-digit number, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline experienced a...
Weekly Spark

Americans Are Prioritizing Mental Health, with New 988 Hotline There to Help

November 11, 2022
Medical Xpress A recent public perception poll shows broad support for mental health and suicide prevention but barriers to seeking help. Carried...
Weekly Spark

HHS Announces $3 Million to Promote Black Youth Mental Health

November 04, 2022
Healthcare Innovation Grantees in eight states are beginning a new three-year project on Black youth mental health. Funding comes from...
Weekly Spark

What Not to Say to Someone Who Has Lost a Loved One to Suicide

November 04, 2022
HuffPost Experts offer advice for supporting a survivor of suicide loss. Listen with empathy and non-judgment; how you listen is...
Weekly Spark

How Colleges Are Improving Mental Health on Campus

October 28, 2022
U.S. News and World Report Throughout the pandemic, some colleges have taken a comprehensive approach to supporting student mental health....
Weekly Spark

New Org Aims to Improve Black Mental Health with the Help of Churches

October 14, 2022
Healthline A new effort is working to integrate mental health supports in Black faith communities. Launched in August, Soul Shop...
Weekly Spark

Nearly One in Four Young Adults in U.S. Treated for Mental Health during Pandemic, CDC Survey Finds

September 30, 2022
CNN New federal data suggest the percentage of U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment rose during COVID-19. The data come from the...
Weekly Spark

More People Are Talking About Suicide. Let's Make Those Conversations Better

September 30, 2022
Newsweek A recent opinion piece offers tips on making the public conversation about suicide more effective. While suicide is being...
Weekly Spark

New Hampshire School Districts Move to Ease Teacher Stress, Burnout

September 23, 2022
New Hampshire Public Radio Many educators are experiencing stress and mental health issues, with some, such as teachers of color,...
Weekly Spark

Addressing America’s Mental Health Crisis—Especially in Rural Areas—Starts by Making Care More Accessible

September 09, 2022
MedCity News A recent opinion piece argues telepsychiatry can help meet the mental health needs of rural communities. With limited access...
Weekly Spark

Black and Hispanic Americans Are More Likely to Be Struggling with Mental Health. Here’s what Employers and Communities Can Do

September 02, 2022
Forbes Communities and workplaces are key settings for promoting mental health equity. A recent poll found Black and Hispanic respondents...
Weekly Spark

At a 988 Call Center, Volunteers Embrace a New Number while Providing Familiar Hope

August 19, 2022
STAT As the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline expands crisis services nationwide, the important work of call center staff is...
Weekly Spark

Six Ways to Address Mental Health in the Construction Industry

August 19, 2022
For Construction Pros Employers can take key steps to prevent suicide in the construction industry, which has the second highest...
Weekly Spark,

Confronting Health Worker Burnout and Well-Being

August 12, 2022
The New England Journal of Medicine In a recent opinion piece, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discusses ways to address health...
Weekly Spark

Text Your Friends. It Matters More Than You Think.

August 05, 2022
The New York Times An increasing body of research suggests small moments of connection are key to well-being. In a...
Weekly Spark

Many Black Children Are Dying by Suicide, Doctors Say: Understanding the Why—and How to Help

July 29, 2022
ABC News Experts are calling for a public health approach to preventing suicide among Black youth. Recent data show suicide...
Weekly Spark

988 and the Research Behind Suicide Hotlines

July 22, 2022
CUIMC News In a recent interview, suicide prevention expert Madelyn Gould shares insights on how crisis hotlines have become a...
Weekly Spark

COVID-19 and Suicide – Why Our Messaging Matters

July 15, 2022
The HPHR Journal A recent opinion piece calls for more accurate and action-oriented messaging about the mental health impacts of...
Weekly Spark

Adapting a Zero Suicide Approach to Native Communities

July 08, 2022
WebMD Health News Native communities are taking an innovative approach to preventing suicide that combines scientific and traditional practices. With...
Weekly Spark

Unemployment, Behavioral Health, and Suicide

June 17, 2022
Health Affairs A recent health policy brief calls for increased efforts to understand and address the links between unemployment and...
Weekly Spark

“A Cry for Help”: CDC Warns of a Steep Decline in Teen Mental Health

June 03, 2022
The Washington Post Recent federal data show teens have struggled during the pandemic, with some groups impacted more than others. The data...
Weekly Spark

School Mental Health Program Eases Transition from Hospital to Classroom

June 03, 2022
New England Public Media A program is helping kids readjust to school after mental health-related absences. Bridge for Resilient Youth...
Weekly Spark

Despite Pandemic-Era Drop, Suicide Threat Remains

May 13, 2022
U.S. News and World Report Although suicide rates fell in the first year of the pandemic, comprehensive prevention efforts are...
Weekly Spark

Suicide Is Rising among Younger Students. Here’s How Schools Can Prevent Tragedy

April 22, 2022
EducationWeek While most suicide prevention programs in schools are focused on teens, suicide rates have been rising among younger students....
Weekly Spark

Jargon May Have Turned Parents against Social and Emotional Learning

April 22, 2022
The Hechinger Report In recent months, some parents have expressed objections to social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools. According...
Weekly Spark

Demand for College Peer Counselors Is Booming. But Training Only Goes So Far

April 22, 2022
NPR During the pandemic, some college students are leaning on each other for support. A recent national survey found nearly half of...
Weekly Spark

What Employers Need to Know About Suicide Prevention

April 08, 2022
Harvard Business Review With the proper information and tools, employers can take key steps to prevent suicide among their employees....
Weekly Spark

Survey of Americans Who Attempted Suicide Finds Many Aren’t Getting Care

March 11, 2022
The New York Times Suicide attempt rates increased nationally from 2008 to 2019, according to a recent study. However, the proportion...
Weekly Spark

What We Misunderstand About Suicide among Black Americans

February 18, 2022
TIME There is a common misconception that Black Americans are less affected by suicide than their White peers. In reality,...
Weekly Spark

Acceptance Significantly Reduces Suicide Risk for Intersex Youths, Report Finds

February 11, 2022
NBC News Research from The Trevor Project found LGBTQ intersex youth are at increased risk for suicide, but feeling accepted by...
Weekly Spark

FBI Launches Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection

January 21, 2022
Spooner Advocate On January 1, the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC) Act went into effect. Signed into federal law...
Weekly Spark

Surgeon General Warns of Youth Mental Health Crisis

January 21, 2022
The New York Times The U.S. surgeon general has released a report calling for urgent efforts to address youth mental health. According...
Weekly Spark

A Look Back at State and Community News in 2021

January 07, 2022
PENNSYLVANIA: Free Therapy Program for Black Men Ramps Up Amid Pandemic-Era Stressors—WHYY NEW YORK: How a Hospital and a School...
Weekly Spark

A Look Back at National News in 2021

January 07, 2022
Amid COVID and Racial Unrest, Black Churches Put Faith in Mental Health Care—Kaiser Health News  Will the Pandemic Result in...