Suicide is the second leading cause of death to North Dakota children ages 10 through 14 and to adolescents and young adults ages 15 through 24. It is not known why youth suicide is higher in rural states, but remoteness, isolation, cultural factors, the stigma associated with mental health services, and higher rates of youth alcohol use may be factors, said Lt. Gov. Rosemarie Myrdal, Task Force chairperson. Specific strategies include identifying the Mental Health Association of North Dakota as a leader in suicide prevention and encouraging suicide crisis response teams to focus on prevention. The plan also encourages development of a statewide education campaign that focuses on firearm storage or removal and education of state policy makers about suicide issues. A final recommendation involves creating a system for conducting follow-back studies and for monitoring suicide attempts.
Suicide prevention is a complex issue.
In spite of the complexity, we must believe that suicides, like most injuries, are preventable and that by working together, we can reduce suicide in the youth and young adults of our state. Allen Johnson - ND Health Dept.