Children’s Hospitals Call on Congress to Confront Alarming Rise in Youth Suicide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among children and adolescents ages 10-14 and the third for ages 15-24. Children’s hospitals across the country are urging Congress to act with urgency to address this national crisis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates for people aged 10–24 rose steadily from 2007 through 2021, holding steady since then. The National Institute of Health also reported that suicide among children ages 8-12 has increased by nearly 8% each year since 2008. These sobering trends underscore the urgent need for investment in prevention and expanded access to care.

“Every child’s life is precious, and the rising number of young people dying by suicide should alarm every American,” said Matthew Cook, president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA). “Congress must put children’s mental health at the center of funding discussions. Data-driven solutions are available — we need lawmakers to prioritize programs that expand access, strengthen prevention, and ensure every child at risk is met with care and connection.”

A national collaboration

To meet this challenge, CHA, the Cardinal Health Foundation, and the Zero Suicide Institute launched the Preventing Youth Suicide National Collaborative in 2022. The initiative unites children’s hospitals to share best practices, identify at-risk children, and improve care delivery.

Over the past three years, the collaborative has standardized suicide risk screening, created new care pathways, and trained pediatric care teams to intervene early and respond with compassion.

“This initiative has transformed how we care for children’s mental health,” said Dr. Linda Mayes, chief of child psychiatry at Yale New Haven Health System. “Most importantly, it has built a system where every child is seen, every voice is heard, and every risk is met with care.”

The toll on families

Children’s hospitals see firsthand the toll suicide risk takes on young people and families. Emergency department visits for mental health concerns have surged in recent years, stretching resources already under pressure.

“With the growing mental health crisis in youth, it is on all of us to do as much as we can to equip our teams to help struggling children and families,” said Luanne Ewald, MHA, FACHE, president and COO of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

How lawmakers can help save young lives

As National Suicide Prevention Month draws attention to this crisis, CHA is calling on Congress to:

• Increase federal investment in pediatric mental health services and workforce training.
• Expand access to prevention programs in schools, primary care, and community settings.
• Support children’s hospitals implementing suicide prevention and crisis response initiatives.

“Youth suicide is a national emergency, and we must respond with the urgency it demands,” Cook said. “By acting now, lawmakers can help reverse alarming trends and safeguard the future of America’s children.”