2019 Awareness Day Final Report 2019_ADay_FinaReport_FINAL_pages | Page 4

ABOVE: Pennsylvania Rep. Michael Schlossberg (D) speaks to young adults at a Mental Health
Awareness Month event at the state capitol in Harrisburg on May 9, 2019.
Understanding the
Issue, Empowering
Communities to Act
Suicide isn’t something we like to think about or talk about, most likely because
we feel we can’t solve it. Through the Awareness Day event, SAMHSA conveyed
that when we work together and apply strategies that we know work, we
can prevent suicide. That’s why one of the messages for the day was that by
starting the conversation, looking for signs, providing support, and directing
help to those who need it, we can save lives.
SUICIDE
Data from the CDC showed that in
2017, suicide was the second leading
cause of death among children,
youth, and young adults ages
10–24.
4
Although suicide is complicated and doesn’t have a single cause, studies
suggest that youth and young adults may be more likely to attempt suicide
when they experience both life stress and health issues simultaneously. Youth
who are isolated socially, lack access to mental health care, or know someone
who has died by suicide often are more at risk.
2019