Coloring Outside the Lines: Making Black and Brown Lives Matter in the Prevention of Youth Suicide

Abstract

Black children are killing themselves in increasing numbers and have been for the past 20 years.¹ Importantly, these increasing rates of suicidality in young Black children, 5-11 years of age, was first identified in 2015.² This finding was striking, as African American children had been historically noted to have lower suicidality rates than their non-Latinx White (NLW) peers.² Of further concern is the fact that while suicidality rates had been steadily increasing in African American children for more than 2 decades, NLW same-aged peers had seen a decrease in suicidality during this same period (Table 1). While our field has made great strides in suicide prevention, there have been glaring omissions with respect to exploration of racial/ethnic differences and how experiences of racism may amplify risk. We have not mobilized to address these disparities in care and still lack clear understanding of the reasons behind this disturbing trend, particularly given the diminution in NLW suicide rates during the same time period. What has become increasingly clear though is that the experiences of Black children have been left out of our collective response to youth suicide.