Building Resilience - Upstream Approaches for Suicide Prevention
Suicide is a leading cause of death for youth, ages 10-24 and and rates have been increasing in every state from 199-2016. Pennsylvania has seen a 34% increase in deaths by suicide since 1999 (CDC, 2018). Most recent data suggests that 1 in 13 youth attempt suicide across a year. There is growing focus in the field of youth suicide prevention in taking a more proactive, “upstream” approach, which involves working to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors prior to the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. School counselors are uniquely positioned to take lead promoting upstream interventions, building resilience and saving lives.