CHA and Cardinal Health Commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day with Continued Focus on Youth Mental Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. and DUBLIN, Ohio — In observance of today's World Suicide Prevention Day, Children's Hospital Association (CHA), Cardinal Health, and Zero Suicide Institute (ZSI) celebrate early success of the Preventing Youth Suicide Collaborative, a collaborative funded by the Cardinal Health Foundation, led by CHA, and informed by ZSI's prevention expertise.

Since 2022, 30 children's hospitals have focused on early detection and intervention, sharing innovative strategies and comprehensive approaches to suicide prevention. A 2020 pilot that included nine children's hospitals and funded by Cardinal Health Foundation informed the current effort. Early findings show almost 320,000 children and youth have been screened, and 15% need mental health support and services.

To help expand the impact of the collaborative, ZSI developed a Zero Suicide Toolkit for Children's Hospitals based on its work. It represents a significant step forward in pediatric suicide prevention, with implementation strategies and resources specifically for children and youth, ensuring that hospitals have the necessary tools to effectively address suicide risk and deliver timely care.

"We are deeply committed to investing in initiatives that help reduce stigma, raise awareness and increase access to mental health resources and services," said Jessie Cannon, President of the Cardinal Health Foundation. "Our partnership with ZSI, CHA and children's hospitals across the country acknowledges the unique considerations of children and youth and provides the resources healthcare providers need to support their efforts to reduce pediatric suicide and improve children's mental well-being."

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicide attempts, ideation and self-injury accounting for 31% of behavioral health encounters in children's hospitals' emergency departments last year, according to CHA's Pediatric Health Information System®.

Matthew Cook, CHA's President and CEO, said, "Suicide among children and adolescents is a public health emergency that demands immediate action. All of us – health care providers, lawmakers and communities – must work together to provide early detection, better screening and timely intervention to save young lives."

One of the collaborative's hospitals is Phoenix Children's, which reaches children and families across Arizona. The health system screens for suicide when a child visits for any reason, including a regular check-up or a sports physical. Screening responses that reveal distress prompt a same-day appointment with a mental health therapist to assure the child's safety and determine next steps. As Phoenix Children's Division Chief of Psychology and Hagenah Family Endowed Chair, Carla Allan, PhD puts it, "We treat thousands of children and teens every day in our hospitals and clinics. These visits provide an important opportunity to check in on their mental health and intervene when needed. Prevention is the best antidote to suicide."

According to Chief Community Impact Officer Lynne Ashbeck at Valley Children's Healthcare in central California, "If there is one thing we have learned since the pandemic, it is that you cannot separate physical health from mental health in caring for our kids. The collaborative has provided our team with access to best practices in suicide prevention and care, and the chance to take a closer look at our own systems and processes, both internally and with our community partners."

From Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York, Chief Quality Officer and VP of Quality and Safety, Anupama Subramony, MD, added, "Suicide awareness is a profound commitment to safeguarding the mental health and well-being of our youngest patients. Pediatric professionals hold the vital role of recognizing early signs of distress and providing compassionate intervention, ensuring that every child receives the support and care they need to find hope and thrive."

Cook said, "The work of the Preventing Youth Suicide Collaborative is setting a new standard in pediatric health care by ensuring that children who experience mental health challenges are identified early and receive the care they need. This is critical work, but our children need more. We urge Congress to prioritize the mental health of our nation's youth by passing two bipartisan pieces of legislature: the EARLY Minds Act (H.R.7808), which would give states greater flexibility to make resources available for prevention and early intervention initiatives, and the Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R.2412), which would help bolster the pediatric mental health workforce and improve the availability of a full continuum of mental health care for kids."

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for healthcare facilities. With more than 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 48,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. The Cardinal Health Foundation is a charitable non-profit giving organization dedicated to advancing health equity. Information about Cardinal Health and the Foundation is available at cardinalhealth.com.

About Zero Suicide Institute

The foundational belief of Zero Suicide is that suicide deaths for individuals under the care of health and behavioral health systems are preventable. For systems dedicated to improving patient safety, Zero Suicide presents an aspirational challenge and practical framework for system-wide transformation toward safer suicide care. The Institute is part of the EDC, or Education Development Center, a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. With expertise in areas such as suicide prevention, early childhood development and learning, and youth workforce development, EDC collaborates with public and private partners to create, deliver, and evaluate programs, services, and products.