September is Suicide Prevention Month, an important time to address the mental health challenges that high school students face. According to a 2023 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 25.7% of high school students have seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months. Additionally, Montana’s youth suicide rate (ages 11-17) from 2011-2020 was more than double the national average.
School staff members have a unique role in the lives of students and can make all the difference. Your daily interactions and understanding of their behaviors put you in a powerful position to recognize signs of distress and provide support.
To support our students, please explore Billings Clinic - Logan Health’s Let’s Talk About It campaign page, which offers valuable resources to help reduce stigma and promote open conversations about mental health. Please visit logan.org/LetsTalk for useful information about detecting the signs and learning how to help those in need.
Please know that resources are always available by calling the 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
