Suicidality Among Our Youth

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Hillside, Inc.

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

NA

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Strand #1

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Strand #2

Hands: Safety & Violence Prevention

Relevance

This presentation will discuss how to support youth experiencing mental health issues that present with suicidality, and different risk factors that can impact a youth's overall mental health (Health). We will also discuss ways to respond when a youth has engaged in dangerous, self-harm behaviors and how to maintain safety of youth experiencing suicidal urges (Hands).

Brief Program Description

This presentation will assist all professionals to increase their knowledge and awareness of current suicide trends among youth, and factors that place youth at increased risk for suicide. Participants will learn how to identify suicide warnings signs, prevention and response methods that can be applied in various settings, and most effective treatment options.

Summary

As professionals that work with at-risk youth, we are trained to assist with identifying warning signs for many different things. One of the most difficult topics to assess for and respond to effectively is suicidality among our youth. Suicide in youth is not only prevalent (it is the second leading cause of death in youth aged 5-24), but trends show that rates continue to increase (by 56% among those aged 10-24 since 2001). It is important for professionals working with youth to be aware of risk factors, warning signs, and interventions to take if a young person is identified as a risk to themselves.

This training will identify current trends among youth such as popular methods, differences among gender and racial groups, and populations most at-risk including LGBTQ+ youth and those involved with DHS and/or Juvenile Justice, so that professionals are able to be more knowledgeable about the different internal and external stressors that can impact a youth’s risk for suicide. We will cover known and supported risk factors that can increase a young person’s likelihood to engage in dangerous behavior, as well as how to reduce the impact of these risk factors. This training will also identify protective factors that can be emphasized and improved to assist with reducing the likelihood of suicidal behavior.

We will also discuss how to assess for suicide risk, how to talk to youth about suicide, prevention measures proven to reduce suicide risk, and how to identify the best ways to respond to emergencies—including what to do if a youth expresses suicidal ideations or is actively engaging in dangerous behavior. Treatment options (such as evidenced based therapies including DBT and CBT), levels of care, and effective supports for youth that struggle with suicidality due to a traumatic event or adverse childhood experience (ACE) will be overviewed, as well as treatment options for youth that have chronic mental health difficulties that are characterized by suicidal ideation or actions.

Evidence

  • Aranmolate R, Bogan DR, Hoard T, Mawson AR (2017) Suicide Risk Factors among LGBTQ Youth: Review. JSM Schizophr 2(2): 1011.
  • Bilsen, J. (2018). Suicide and Youth: Risk Factors. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00540
  • Curtin SC, Heron M. Death rates due to suicide and homicide among persons aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2017. NCHS Data Brief, no 352. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019.
  • Leavitt, R. A., Ertl, A., Sheats, K., Petrosky, E., Ivey-Stephenson, A., & Fowler, K. A. (2018). Suicides Among American Indian/Alaska Natives — National Violent Death Reporting System, 18 States, 2003–2014. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(8), 237-242. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6708a1
  • Sheftall, A. H., Asti, L., Horowitz, L. M., Felts, A., Fontanella, C. A., Campo, J. V., & Bridge, J. A. (2016). Suicide in Elementary School-Aged Children and Early Adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0436
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Suicide Clusters within American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A review of the literature and recommendations. HHS Publication No. SMA17-5050. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017.
  • Swahn, M. H., Ali, B., Bossarte, R. M., Dulmen, M. V., Crosby, A., Jones, A. C., & Schinka, K. C. (2012). Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts among High-Risk, Urban Youth in the U.S.: Shared and Unique Risk and Protective Factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9(1), 178-191. doi:10.3390/ijerph9010178
  • Toomey RB, Syvertsen AK, Shramko M. Transgender Adolescent Suicide Behavior. Pediatrics. 2018;142(4): e20174218
  • White, J., & Kral, M. J. (2014). Re-Thinking Youth Suicide: Language, Culture, and Power. Journal for Social Action in Counseling & Psychology, 6(1), 122-142. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.6.1.122-142

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will increase their knowledge of suicide trends among youth.

2. Participants will learn how to effectively respond to youth who are experiencing suicidal urges and/or behaviors.

3. Participants will learn skills and methods for suicide prevention in various settings.

4. Participants will learn about effective treatment options for youth experiencing suicidality in order to best connect youth to needed mental health resources.

Biographical Sketch

Kendra Phoumivong is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Georgia and Arkansas. She has worked in the mental health field for 8 years, working to provide clinical case consultation in the role of a discharge planner as well as in direct care with children and adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients in acute and residential psychiatric treatment before transitioning into a psychotherapist role in 2016. As a therapist, Kendra has worked with children, adolescents, and families in school-based mental health, day treatment, partial hospitalization, outpatient, and now Intensive In-Home Therapy at Hillside Inc. in Savannah, GA where she also serves as the Program Manager for the Savannah and Macon programs. Kendra has extensive experience in treating high-risk children and teens with specific expertise in the areas of Oppositional Defiance Disorder and Conduct Disorders, Suicidality and Self-Harm, Trauma, Anxiety and Depression, Severe Mental Illness, and issues faced by LGBTQ youth. Kendra has been intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in 2020. She has also had specific training in TF-CBT (2018), Trauma Informed Care (2018), and Art Therapy for Children and Adolescents (2018 and 2020).

Keyword Descriptors

suicide, death, depression, therapy, DBT, self-harm, trauma, safety, bullying, prevention

Presentation Year

2021

Start Date

3-9-2021 3:00 PM

End Date

3-9-2021 4:00 PM

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Mar 9th, 3:00 PM Mar 9th, 4:00 PM

Suicidality Among Our Youth

This presentation will assist all professionals to increase their knowledge and awareness of current suicide trends among youth, and factors that place youth at increased risk for suicide. Participants will learn how to identify suicide warnings signs, prevention and response methods that can be applied in various settings, and most effective treatment options.