Suicide Prevention Month: Listening to Young People Can Make a Difference

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time to increase awareness, reduce stigma, learn the warning signs of suicide, and remind young people that asking for help is a sign of strength.

For adults who support children—including parents, relatives, foster parents, kinship caregivers, educators, social workers, Guardians ad Litem, coaches, mentors, and community volunteers—one of the most important things we can do is pay attention.

Sometimes a young person will tell us directly that something is wrong.

Other times, their behavior tells the story.

The important thing is that we listen.

Recognizing When a Young Person May Need Help

Young people experience stress differently, and there is no single behavior that automatically means someone is considering suicide.

However, significant or sudden changes deserve attention.

The National Institute of Mental Health identifies warning signs that can include talking about wanting to die, expressing hopelessness or feeling like a burden, withdrawing from friends and family, extreme mood changes, changes in sleeping or eating, increased substance use, taking dangerous risks, giving away important belongings, or researching or making plans for suicide.

When these behaviors are new or have recently increased, they should be taken seriously.

External Resource:
National Institute of Mental Health – Warning Signs of Suicide

Adults don’t have to diagnose a young person to help them.

They can notice.

They can ask.

They can listen.

And they can connect that young person with additional support.

Don’t Minimize What a Young Person Is Feeling

Adults sometimes evaluate children’s problems through an adult perspective.

A breakup may seem temporary. A disagreement at school might appear minor. Social pressure may seem less serious than financial or professional problems adults experience.

But the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline reminds adults that experiences involving relationships, school pressure, family conflict, bullying, identity, and loss can feel overwhelming to young people.

When a young person shares those feelings, listening without judgment matters.

Avoid immediately responding with statements like, “You’ll get over it,” “It’s not that serious,” or “You have nothing to be upset about.”

Instead, create space for the young person to talk.

External Resource:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Youth Resources

If a young person is experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional crisis, call or text 988 or use the 988 Lifeline chat service. If there is an immediate life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Connection Can Be Powerful

Supporting mental health isn’t limited to crisis intervention.

Children also benefit from consistent relationships, positive experiences, opportunities to develop skills, physical activity, friendships, trusted adults, and environments where they feel valued.

That philosophy is closely connected to CASA Minnesota’s work.

CASA Minnesota supports court-appointed volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children so they can be safe, establish permanency, and have opportunities to thrive.

Through CASA Cares, the organization also helps eligible children in foster and kinship care participate in enrichment opportunities that help them MOVE, CONNECT, and LEARN.

Learn more:
CASA Minnesota – CASA Cares

A bicycle, dance class, camp, swimming lesson, or sports program is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment when treatment is needed.

But positive experiences and supportive relationships can still be meaningful pieces of a child’s broader network of connection and support.

Five Actions That Can Help

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends five actions when someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts:

Ask. Be there. Help keep them safe. Help them connect. Follow up.

Importantly, NIMH notes that asking someone directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not increase suicidal thoughts or behavior.

That means adults should not be afraid to have difficult conversations when they are concerned.

Every Child Deserves to Be Heard

Children involved with foster care and child protection systems may have already experienced significant changes, uncertainty, loss, or trauma.

They need adults willing to pay attention—not just when something goes wrong, but consistently.

Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that listening can matter.

Checking in can matter.

Following up can matter.

Connecting a young person with help can matter.

At CASA Minnesota, our mission begins with something simple but powerful: giving children a voice.

This September, we encourage Minnesotans to listen carefully to those voices, learn the warning signs of suicide, share trusted resources, and remind young people that they do not have to navigate difficult moments alone.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.