What can be done about the alarming rate of suicide among young people? Student journalists at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication have sought answers to that question, seeking workable solutions to what has become a public health crisis.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth suicide rates climbed by 56% across the United States from 2007 to 2017, making it the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 34. In Arizona, the rate of suicide among adolescents has consistently exceeded the national average.
This documentary was produced through a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation and with the support of the Arizona Broadcasters Association. It analyzes the underlying societal, cultural, technological and medical causes behind the state’s troubling statistics and offers resources and potential solutions.
The youth suicide project follows a multiyear partnership between the Cronkite School and Arizona broadcasters to shed light on some of Arizona’s most pressing issues.