CHA Joins Organizations from Canada, UK to Launch Global Preventing Youth Suicide Collaborative
New partnership brings together children's health leaders from the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom to strengthen suicide prevention in pediatric care settings.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), Speak Our Minds, Children's Healthcare Canada (CHC), and UK-based Children’s Hospital Alliance today launched the Global Preventing Youth Suicide Collaborative, an international initiative focused on strengthening the role of pediatric health systems in identifying and supporting young people at risk of suicide.
Launched as CHA approaches the five-year anniversary of the declaration of a national emergency in youth mental health, the collaborative brings together children’s health and pediatric mental health leaders from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The partnership aims to advance a coordinated approach to youth suicide prevention, improve timely access to care and generate better overall outcomes in the identification and treatment of suicide risk.
The collaborative is a direct evolution of the work of more than 40 children’s hospitals participating in CHA’s Behavioral Health Learning Collaborative. After those hospitals expressed interest in continuing the work of the Zero Suicide effort, CHA built on the collaborative’s progress, which included conducting more than one million youth screenings for suicide risk.
More than 40% of young people in the United States who have attempted suicide visited a health care provider during the preceding month, underscoring the need for pediatric providers to identify risk and connect young people with support.
"Children’s hospitals have a critical opportunity to identify young people at risk and connect them with support, often before a crisis occurs," said Matthew Cook, CEO of Children's Hospital Association. "This initiative will allow pediatric health leaders across countries to learn from one another and build practical approaches that help more children access evidence-based mental health care when and where they need it."
The most recent data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, covering 2024–25, show that half of children and youth wait up to 24 days for community mental health counselling, and one in ten people referred waits longer than four months for a first appointment. Increasing access to timely and community-based mental health support is key to supporting children and youth.
"Youth suicide is a preventable tragedy. A bold new approach is required to help health systems identify and support young people at risk" said Emily Gruenwoldt, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Healthcare Canada. "We work best when we work and learn together. This collaborative gives children's health leaders a way to share what is working, adapt it to their own care settings and patient population, and make sure more children and youth are connected to the care they need."
“We see increasingly urgent pediatric and adolescent mental health needs across our 14 member hospitals in the UK, and our patients receiving care for serious health needs often have significant mental health challenges,” said Alexandra Norrish, Managing Director, Children’s Hospital Alliance UK. “By bringing together experiences from children’s hospitals internationally we hope to share practical lessons about identifying risk, responding effectively, and integrating mental health support more consistently to give all children and young people the best possible care.” The initiative began with a September 21 roundtable among pediatric mental health leaders from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, whose insights will help shape its approach to prevention, early identification, and access to care.
Following this announcement, CHA hospitals, CHC, and Children’s Hospital Alliance UK will launch a coordinated effort to expand universal suicide risk screening across pediatric health systems. Screening will be embedded within a practical, evidence-informed care model that includes assessment, intervention, follow-up, and implementation support. Together, these partners will build a global Learning Health Network to refine, measure, and scale effective suicide prevention practices through a shared care bundle and evidence framework.
CHA, Speak Our Minds, CHC, and Children’s Hospital Alliance UK, welcome children’s health organizations, philanthropic partners and other stakeholders interested in supporting or participating in the initiative. To learn more, visit childrenshospitals.org/mentalhealth.
About Children’s Healthcare Canada
Children's Healthcare Canada is a national association whose mission is to accelerate excellence and innovation in health systems caring for children and youth.
Our members deliver healthcare services to millions of children and youth across Canada, including all sixteen children's hospitals, community hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, home and respite care agencies, children's treatment centers, and regional health authorities.
About the Children’s Hospital Alliance, UK
The UK CHA is a national network of 14 specialist NHS Trusts working together to improve the quality, access and experience of hospital care for children and families. It supports child healthcare leaders to connect and learn, share data and build insights, deliver transformation, scale innovations and shape strategy, policy and decision-making.
About Children's Hospital Association
Children’s Hospital Association is the national voice of more than 200 children’s hospitals, advancing child health through innovation in the quality, cost, and delivery of care.
