Youth suicide is an overwhelming problem in the United States. The suicide rates of children and young adults have gone up more than 24% between the years 1999 and 2024. In recent years suicide rates in the state of Connecticut have started to climb higher than the national average. According to a Connecticut based psychiatrist, Dr Linda Durst from UConn Health, the Connecticut rate has risen 45.2% while the national average has only gone up 30.3% from the years of 1999 to 2022. Elsewhere, it has been stated that the suicide rate of girls has continued to grow faster then the rate of boys.
Stopping the rate of suicide from rising anymore should be a primary concern of the state of Connecticut.
One of the main places where the state can intervene and protect against youth suicide is in school. Students spend a significant portion of their day and young lives there, and school staff are often the first adults to see noticeable changes in behavior. For many students, schools can be a place where they feel safe and supported when talking to adults. However, there is a significant gap in communication between private mental health providers and school staff.
By growing the communication between school staff and mental health professionals, we can make sure no student’s needs go unnoticed.
Improved communication between mental health providers and school counselors is essential to preventing child suicide. By allowing the shared knowledge of student safety plans, HB 5168 “An Act Concerning the Secure Transmission of Minor Patient Safety Plans to Schools by Health Care Providers” makes sure that the adults who are present during the school day are equipped to see warning signs and quickly respond. If this bill isimplemented the school staff will have the information they need to help students experiencing mental crises. These safety plans often include coping skills that are essential to the child’s well being while in school. Passing this bill would be a step towards protecting vulnerable students and helping the future of Connecticut.
Importantly, the proposed bill can be implemented while respecting students’ privacy through parental consent. This bill’s purpose is not to overstep boundaries, but is meant to close the gap of child suicide.
There are multiple reasons why a school therapist should talk to outside providers. For example it provides additional support for school staff, it also provides consistency between school and home, and finally provides valuable outside perspective. This collaboration ultimately helps create a more effective approach to supporting students’ mental health and academic success.
Understanding the push back from this bill is also important to consider when making such a challenging decision. One might think that this bill is infringing on children’s rights to their privacy. However, nothing is shared between the providers without the consent from a “legally authorized representative,” meaning that the child still receives their voice back in regards to what is shared on the behalf of the provider. Another concern this bill has received is a lack of staffing schools might have to be able to implement this bill. Connecticut is discussing a plan for this bill to be implemented with consistent clinical flow, privacy protections, and choice of the family.
The rising rates of child suicide should prompt an immediate reaction from the State of Connecticut. Schools are one of the most influential environments in a child’s life, and making sure school counselors have access to the information regarding a possibly unsafe child can make a life-changing difference for them.
By passing HB 5168, you could possibly be saving a child’s life.
Avery Doran is a sophomore at Sacred Heart University, majoring in health sciences with a concentration in community health.