(Native American) Indian youth suicide crisis baffles

[The Straight Story]

Indian youth suicide crisis baffles

...

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death behind unintentional injuries among Indian children and young adults, and is on the rise, according to the Indian Health Service. Native Americans ages 10 to 24 killed themselves at more than twice the rate of similarly aged whites, according to the most recent data available from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On the Fort Peck reservation, five children killed themselves during the 2009-2010 school year at Poplar Middle School — enrollment about 160 — and 20 more of the 7th and 8th graders tried. In the current school year, two young adults have committed suicide, though none at Poplar Middle School.

Emergency teams from the U.S. Public Health Service descended upon Fort Peck last June after Sioux and Assiniboine leaders declared a crisis. The teams provided counseling and mental health services to assist the overworked counselors and strained resources of the reservation.

No suicides were recorded during the 90-day deployment of the federal health team. When they packed their bags in October and left a detailed report with a dozen recommendations, the Indian Health Service declared the crisis had passed — a view repeated to The Associated Press last month by IHS behavioral health director Dr. Rose Weahkee.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110320/ap_on_re_us/us_indian_child_suicides

[Brickbat]

1. Gosh. I WONDER.

[glinda]

2. Was confused at first when you said "Indian" (from India). Might help

if you said Native American. Or even Tribe specific.
This is sad given the new assaults upon our Tribes in this Country by Republicans and Teas.

[The Straight Story]

3. Fixed (nt)