skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina s congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Myorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Suicide Now 2nd Leading Cause of Death Among ND Youth, New Help Available

play audio
Play

Monday, June 27, 2016   

BISMARCK, N.D. - Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among young people in North Dakota and across the country, but the state is getting some new help on the issue. The North Dakota Department of Health is setting aside about $580,000 for new evidence-based suicide prevention projects in schools and communities across the state. This comes as new research published today by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows suicide is the number two cause of death for people age 15 to 19.

North Dakota Department of Health's State Suicide Prevention
Director Alison Traynor said the youth suicide rate in North Dakota is higher than the national average, and that a lack of resources in rural areas could be contributing to the problem.

"The amount of miles between individuals or residents and resources, like mental health care and behavioral health care, that is certainly something that has been associated with the increase in the rural communities," she said.

According to the state's Department of Public Instruction, one out of every six middle school students has seriously thought about killing themselves. Traynor said six Regional Education Associations are getting funds to set up or continue projects like the Sources of Strength program, which links at-risk youth with adults who can help.

The new report, titled "Suicide and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents," lists bullying and internet use as big suicide risk factors for young people. Report lead author and Dr. Benjamin Shain M.D., Ph.D. at NorthShore University HealthSystem, said online bullying can be as serious as face-to-face bullying.

"Both bully victims and bully perpetrators are affected," he said. "And the group that's affected the most is in the group who are both victims and perpetrators, had the highest increase in mental health concerns, suicidal thoughts and behaviors and suicides."

And while the report notes that more than 5 hours of internet use a day is strongly linked with high levels of depression, Dr. Shain warns that simply trying to block access to a teen's online social network likely won't help the situation. The report also lists suggestions to help pediatricians recognize warning signs and provide help. That includes familiarity with community resources and area mental health professionals.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …


Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …


More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social media platform X temporarily shutdown searches of "Taylor Swift" following the release of explicit deepfake images in early 2024. (Mdv Edwards/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

Social Issues

play sound

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has pr…

Environment

play sound

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021