Suicide Prevention Means Supporting Children Long Before a Crisis
September is Suicide Prevention Month. This year it arrived with hard news for Alaska.
In late August, the Alaska Department of Health released new data on youth suicide. Between 2016 and 2025, we lost 174 Alaska children and teens ages 10 to 18 to suicide, and the rate recorded in 2025 was the highest in a decade. Alaska's youth suicide rate runs nearly six times the national average.
The struggle reaches much further than even these losses. In Alaska's 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly 1 in 4 high school students said they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
Many of Alaska’s kids are struggling - and it’s critical we help before a child reaches the tipping point. Preventing suicide takes work throughout the year, but there’s never been a better time to start helping than during Suicide Prevention Month.
The CDC finds that young people who feel connected to their school and family report suicidal thoughts at far lower rates. An additional caring adult in a child’s life like an afterschool provider, coach, or educator can be an important source of support. So can a welcoming school, strong friendships, and access to mental health care.
What does prevention look like in everyday life?
It looks like showing up. Eat dinner together. Learn the name of your child's new friend. Make it to the game, the recital, the fish camp. And, you don't have to be a parent. Teachers, coaches, neighbors and afterschool professionals send the same message when you take a vested interest in a child: you matter and belong.
It looks like asking. If you're worried about a young person, ask directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking does not increase suicidal thoughts or behavior. Listen without judgment, help them connect with support and keep checking in.
It looks like knowing where to turn. Call or text 988 anytime, whether you're struggling or worried about someone else. Support is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. Save the number in your phone and in your kid's phone.
Preventing child abuse and neglect means supporting families before problems become crises. That's the focus of Alaska Children's Trust's work, and it matters for suicide prevention, too. The supports that keep families strong also protect a young person's mental health: welcoming afterschool programs, time with caring adults, connection to culture and mental health care families can reach.
This Suicide Prevention Month, take one step. Check in with a young person in your life. Make time to listen and keep checking in after September ends.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988. Help is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.
Research and Data
Percentage of students who seriously considered attempting suicide (during the past 12 months)
More resources:
Training: Talk Saves Lives: Supporting Our Veterans is a free, 60-minute educational program for audiences to learn about the impact of suicide among veterans, along with practical ways to recognize warning signs of suicide, navigate tough conversations, and connect veterans to support in ways that respect their autonomy.
Training: Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Latinx and Hispanic Communities is a community presentation that covers what we know about this leading cause of death, the most up-to-date research on prevention, and the strategies that can help save lives.
Support Groups: NAMI support groups are peer-led and offer participants an opportunity to share their experiences and gain support from other attendees.