Crisis Point: Spike in Black Youth Suicide Rates Trigger Alarm Among Advocates

There has been a sharp rise in suicide rates among Black and other youth of color in California and across the United States.

“Many people assume suicide is a White problem. In fact, suicide rates have increased faster for youth of color than for White youth over the past two decades,” says Dr. Kiara Alvarez, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Alvarez recently made the statement during an American Community Media (ACoM) digital briefing on Generation Z mental health.

“One national survey found that more than one in four Black youth seriously considered suicide in the past year,” Alverez continued. “Suicide rates for Black girls aged 13 to 19 more than doubled between 2003 and 2020.”

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