Editorial: Don't ignore Indian youth suicide

Monday, November 26, 2007  

"Of all the problems that plague South Dakota's Indian reservations, the steady stream of stories about suicides are perhaps the most upsetting.

The rate of suicide among Native Americans in South Dakota is triple the national rate for all races, and anecdotal evidence suggests that, if anything, it's increasing.

To be sure, suicide, depression, substance abuse - these issues are bound inextricably together. How do you untangle the astronomical suicide rate from the high rate of substance abuse? Pretty clearly, you can't.

But tribal health officials, who have a better view of the problem than anybody, are pleading for more funding for mental health and education programs, and 10 percent of the Indian Health Service's mental health positions in South Dakota are unfilled. If they have ideas for solutions, we need to listen."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Don't ignore Indian suicide crisis (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 11/24)

Relevant Links:
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov

Sen. Johnson asks IHS about youth suicide (11/19)
First Nation seeks help after attempted suicides (9/11)
Boy's death in Alaska Native village ruled a suicide (07/24)
Nebraska tribes receive suicide prevention funds (6/4)
Suicide far too common among Alaska Native villages (05/14))
FDA expands suicide warnings on antidepressants (5/3)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe responds to youth suicide (4/17)
Inquest hears of Native teen's suicide in Manitoba (4/11)
Alaska Native suicide rates remain high (4/10)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe declares emergency over suicides (03/15)
Nebraska governor to discuss Native youth suicide (2/23)
Inquest into Native teen girl's suicide in Manitoba (2/22)
FDA panel ties antidepressants to youth suicide (12/14)
Professor links genocide to high rate of suicide (10/25)
Colville Tribes alarmed by recent rash of suicides (10/12)
Grant to help tribes, state combat youth suicide (09/25)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to use grant to fight suicide (8/8)
Manitoba chiefs launch youth suicide prevention study (09/01)
Tribes meet for suicide prevention conference (07/28)
Senate committee holds hearing on suicide (05/18)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing (5/17)
Multiple suicide attempts alleged at BIA school (04/21)
Cover-up alleged over latest suicide at BIA school (04/20)
Police investigate apparent suicide at BIA school (04/19)
Yellow Bird: The suicides at Standing Rock -- Why? (01/30)
Omaha Tribe seeks to combat suicide among youth (11/18)
Oklahoma senator loses Indian health care vote (06/29)
Senate hearing addresses Native youth suicide (06/16)
Senate hearing on youth suicide prevention (6/15)
Study finds high rates of trauma among two tribes (06/01)
Editorial: Hearing a first step in tackling suicide problem (05/09)
Field hearing set on suicide among Native youth (04/29)
Senate committee plans hearing on Indian suicides (04/26)
Two teens dead in murder-suicide fueled by drugs (04/25)
South Dakota tribe combats suicide among its youth (04/18)
BIA establishes partnership to tackle teen suicide (04/08)
New York Times: Indian children being left behind (04/05)
Deadly tragedy puts focus on Native youth problems (3/24)
Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (03/16)
Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (03/14)
Lawsuit filed over teen's suicide at BIA jail (12/02)
Native students subject to high rates of school violence (11/30)
Suicide rates explode among Colombia's Natives (11/23)
Native community in Manitoba hit by rash of suicides (11/02)
Anderson eyes changes in BIA school system (07/23)
Bill includes suicide prevention funds for tribes (07/16)
Tribe in Brazil sees high rate of youth suicide (04/14)
Report finds lax safety measures at BIA schools (04/08)
Friends, family shocked by INS agent's suicide (03/19)
Ariz. tribe sees alarming rate of suicide attempts (03/09)
Pueblo leaders forming suicide support group (02/18)
CDC calls attention to health disparities in U.S. (02/09)
Survey finds high-risk behaviors among BIA students (11/13)
Smoking rates among Natives highest in nation (10/10)
Study links childhood experience to alcohol abuse (09/19)
Indian Country tops drug report again (9/17)
Native youth top drug use survey again (09/06)
Report card shows Native students falling behind (06/23)
Native youth targeted in anti-drug ads (5/17)
Native youth heaviest smokers in nation (4/3)
Report: Native youth highest drug users (10/5)
Ad campaign targets youth drug use (9/7)
Drug use high among Native youth (9/1)