Teen Suicide Rates Increase In Tennessee
Image Credit: The Sycamore Institute
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
A recently released report is giving new insight into the mental health status of teens across the state, showing a rise in the number of deaths from suicide among adolescents.
September is suicide prevention month, and a new report from the Sycamore Institute Study shows that in 2021, there were 39 deaths by suicide in children ages 12-17 in Tennessee. Research shows that almost 1 in 4 high school students considered suicide while more than 1 in 10 attempted it.
That boils down to 13% of Tennessee high school students who report that they attempted suicide in 2021. This comes in at just above the national rate of 10%.
Eve Nite, Executive Director of CIT Connect in Chattanooga, says this data is not totally accurate.
“Our mental health data is inherently sexist and racist. And so when you look at this data, I hope that you take it with a grain of salt, realizing that the true problem is far greater than our data is even suggesting,” Nite stated.
CIT Connect provides training for community agencies, first responders, and law enforcement officials who may serve on crisis intervention teams for those who are in a mental health crisis.
Nite says that more resources need to be made available for parents and teenagers.
According to the Sycamore Institute, school-based mental health personnel varies from district to district within the state.
Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous, agrees.
“We need to ask parents, ‘what do you need?’…instead of deciding that for other people,” says Dr. Pion-Berlin.
Parents Anonymous offers free mental health services, including a nation-wide multilingual helpline.
Anyone can access the national suicide and crisis lifeline by calling or texting 988 or visiting their online chatroom at 988lifeline.org.
School districts need to stop pushing Chrome Book education. Our 8 year old, Knox County, was learning from Youtube videos on grammar. I couldn’t believe it. The school board simply had excess money from COVID and knew they had to spend it or refund it. Thus, CHROME BOOKS for ALL!
Pushing 2 dimensional learning (computer/tv screens) is a gateway to social media, thus elevating mental health issues. The evidence is clear, yet parents take the easy way out for 1) Fear of Retaliation on their child, 2) Pacify the kids, 3) Trust in Government Education, 4) Liberal Ideology = Disease.
They are taught in school they are descendants of monkeys with no value of Human life, there is no God with no hope in anything. Everything is taught in schools except the basics of education and without any Religious structure in school or family of what our country was founded upon. They may think suicide is the answer but that is when their troubles start with no end.