The rate of suicide in young Canadians is a very important – and tragic – indicator of a collective lack of effectiveness in meeting the mental health needs of our children and youth. Death by suicide among 15 to 24 year olds is the second leading cause of death in this age group. In fact, three times as many youth (15-24 years) die by suicide than by all forms of cancer combined.
Created by Partners for Mental Health, Right By You aims to get youth experiencing mental health problems or illnesses the help they need. The best evidence available today suggests that the greatest promise in youth suicide prevention and risk management is in:
- Whole-community initiatives that integrate the efforts of individuals across sectors (i.e., mental health, education, health, juvenile justice, child welfare) and stakeholder groups including families and youth; and
- Meaningful engagement of young people to promote health and well-being and decrease risky behaviours such as self-harm.
Given the promise of a community based approach to suicide prevention, and the need for Canada to address youth suicide prevention in a more rigorous and evidence-based manner, Right By You is recommending that the federal government invest $100 million over five years in a National Youth Suicide Prevention Fund.
Join Partners for Mental Health and support Right By You by visiting rightbyyou.ca. Online tools are available to help you play a more active role in supporting youth mental health by:
- Writing to your Member of Parliament (using an online tool provided)
- Promoting Right By You using the Community Outreach Kit
- Sharing your experience
- Making a donation or organizing a fundraiser
If you would like more information on how to be involved, visit rightbyyou.ca or contact Partners for Mental Health at info@partnersformh,ca or by phone at 613-798-5862.
