MISSOURI: Children’s Mercy Hospital Now Adding Suicide Prevention Questions to Check-Ups

KMBC 9 News

Children’s Mercy Hospital in Missouri is screening its patients for suicide risk. The Kansas City medical center has implemented routine screening at five of its clinics, and plans to roll it out to the whole health care system over time. A collaboration between Children’s Mercy and the National Institute of Mental Health, the effort aims to address suicide among young patients by identifying and assisting those at risk. “We want to do more prevention,” said Children’s Mercy psychiatrist Shayla Sullivant. “We want to address the problem in advance so we can help people do something about it before it gets that far.”

Spark Extra! Learn more about preventing suicide among children.