Suicide Prevention: 10 Risk Factors You Need to Know Suicide is the second leading cause of death among school age youth. In 2015, approximately 18% of 9th to 12th graders seriously considered suicide with 9% having tried one or more times.  Being a teenager is stressful. The combination of everyday stresses such as school, deadlines, and relationships along with the additional burden […]

Tips for Using onGuard for Protecting Students Online  The pandemic and social distancing continues to be challenging and stressful for everyone, particularly for students. Students are among those most at risk of developing depression and committing suicide. Closures to schools, parks, recreational facilities, after school activities and more because of the pandemic have also increased their feelings of isolation and disrupted their lives.  Although teachers and parents are

What are the Mental Health Issues Affecting Youth?  A child’s life can be a never-ending array of ups and downs and heartbreak. While these life phases are inevitable and accepted as a normal part of growing up, there are instances when shifts in mood and behavior may be indicators of a larger, more daunting issue: mental illness.   As adults, it may be

How to Identify Mental Illness in Youth With 50-70% of mental health disorders showing up before 18 years of age, it’s important to identify youth who are struggling as early as possible. Mental health is a complex issue that requires a coordinated effort and multilevel approach from parents, schools, health care organizations, digital media outlets, and community outreach. Early detection

The closure of schools and quarantine is taking a toll on the mental health of students. Daunting as it may be to broach the subject of mental health and kids, there’s reason to be optimistic. According to Parents for Children’s Mental Health, early intervention can address 70% of mental health cases in children.