By Mary Ann Dewan, San José Spotlight, September 20, 2021
The last 18 plus months have been challenging for students, families and all school personnel due to pandemic-related circumstances.
There was a crisis of youth mental health looming and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people having thoughts of suicide and experiencing depression has nearly doubled as compared to the years before the pandemic. One in five California high school students considered suicide in the last 12 months.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, spread hope and share essential information. Youth suicide is preventable. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has valuable resources, including how to know the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, being prepared for a crisis and navigating a mental health crisis.
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