SANDUSKY — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said an alarming rise in suicides among Black children shows the need for legislation aimed at preventing suicide among the young.
The senator, a Democrat, had a conference call with reporters last week, seeking to rally support for his Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, which would bring increased funding and attention to suicide prevention for kids. An identical bill has been authored in the House by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, an Illinois Democrat.
On the call, Brown spoke with a clinical social worker, LaToya Logan, and OSU professor Arielle Sheftall. Sheftall recently published a study through the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. It found an increase in suicide rates among young Black children, and among young Black girls in particular.
“We know that because of racial disparities in our health care system, too many young people of color — especially young, Black girls — are not getting the care they need. Warning signs are being missed,” Brown said.
“We know how critical a role health care professionals play in spotting signs that something may be wrong in a child’s life," Brown said. "We all have a responsibility to make sure that our children have access to comprehensive mental health care and support so they can thrive. It’s up to us to ensure that we get real resources to our communities to support kids’ and teenagers’ physical and mental health.”
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