Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Babylon) announced that legislation establishing a Black Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force has passed in the Assembly (A.1510). The task force would study the current mental health and suicide prevention practices for Black youth ages 5 through 18 and make recommendations on their findings.

“Our children are our future and their safety, both physically and mentally, must be prioritized,” said Jean-Pierre. “Suicide is a tragedy no matter who it effects, but with rates for Black children doubling in recent years, we must do something to find out why. This task force will also help us take effective actions to prevent more of these tragedies from tearing families apart. I thank my Assembly colleagues for passing this vital legislation to support struggling children in our communities.”

Several thorough studies show that from 2001 to 2015, suicide rates of Black children aged five to 18 have nearly doubled in the U.S. while the rate for white children has declined.^[1] Among children 5 to 11 years old and young adolescents from 12 to 14, those who took their lives were more likely to be male, Black, and dealing with stressful relationships at home or with friends.

Jean-Pierre is committed to not allowing this problem to continue to spread unchallenged in the Black community. The Black Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force would help to identify the roots of this trend, investigate the proper remedies and offer recommendations for state lawmakers to consider implementing to help save lives.

^[1] nytimes.com/2015/05/19/health/suicide-rate-for-black-children-surged-in-2-decades-study-says.html