Raleigh, North Carolina — After North Carolina set a tragic record for child suicides in 2021, the state’s Child Mortality Task Force released early preliminary numbers for 2022 on Thursday. While the data shows some improvement, there is still a long way to go.
Although final numbers are not yet available, child suicides appear to be on the decline in 2022. But the numbers are still far higher than before the pandemic, and DHHS officials say the main causes are mental health issues and the prevalence of guns.
The number of child gun deaths in North Carolina doubled between 2019 and 2021, according to the state medical examiner’s office.
In 2019, the bureau investigated 13 child gun suicides. Two years later, the number had nearly tripled to 38 cases. Gun homicides also jumped from 39 in 2019 to 68 in 2021.
Data shows that since 2020, guns have become the leading cause of child injury deaths in North Carolina, and they are now also the most common method of child suicide. This also trended down slightly last year, but preliminary data shows that firearms were still used in 54% of child suicides in 2022.
Some child welfare activists are calling for stricter gun storage laws to keep guns out of the hands of children. So far, state lawmakers are unmoved. Senate Bill 2023, which would have accomplished that, was never considered.
State lawmakers have directed state officials to launch a public information campaign on safe storage, relaxing gun laws and local background checks that could catch domestic violence charges in the NCIS database. It was part of a bill that would have repealed the law, loosened gun laws, and abolished the pistol permit system. could not.
Meanwhile, children’s mental health remains at an all-time low.
One in five North Carolina teens report having seriously considered suicide, according to data from the state Office of Public Instruction. 1 in 10 people have tried it. And one in 10 children is diagnosed with anxiety or depression.
Some progress has been made in this regard. The new state budget provides funding for 120 more school nurses, counselors and psychologists, or about one for each school district across the state. North Carolina still lags far behind school staffing recommendations for mental health, but experts say it’s improving.
However, access to mental health professionals for people under 18 remains a major problem. Experts told the state’s Child Fatality Task Force that only three of the state’s 100 counties have enough child mental health providers to meet their needs, and about half of the state’s counties. said he had no providers at all.
A county-by-county guide to mental health and crisis resources in North Carolina.
children’s mental health
If you or someone you know is at risk of or considering suicide, contact a mental health professional or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK ( 8255) * or chat on 988lifeline for help as soon as possible. .org.