Still ringing the alarm: An enduring call to action for Black youth suicide prevention

The crisis of Black youth suicide has only worsened in recent years, however it hasn’t received the same level of attention as other groups impacted by suicide. A new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, entitled, “Still Ringing the Alarm: An Enduring Call to Action for Black Youth Suicide Prevention,” highlights research and data and proposes meaningful recommendations to prevent Black youth suicide.

The role of firearms in Black youth suicide is significant and multi-faceted. Firearms are the most common method of suicide among Black boys ages 0-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High levels of community violence and police violence involving firearms result in racial trauma, serving as risk factors for suicide, according to the CDC.

The report, co-authored by Janel Cubbage, MS, LCPC, MPH, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and Leslie Adams, PhD, MPH, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School’s Department of Mental Health, was made possible with funding support from the William Talbott Hillman Foundation.

The report demonstrates that Black youth, particularly Black LGBTQ youth, are at disproportionate risk for suicide, and the prevalence of firearms only heightens this risk.