Black youth suicide rates rising; solutions discussed in Milwaukee

Suicide rates among Black youth are going up faster than any other demographic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

MILWAUKEE - Suicide rates among Black youth are going up faster than any other demographic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Locals are working to break the stigma and change those numbers.

"When we navigate life, our mental health is at the core," said Marquette University Counselor & Coordinator for Black and African American Students, Marie Humes.

"Some may think it’s such a heavy topic," said Marquette University Student-Athlete Mental Health Director, Kari Lewis.

Milwaukee Black youth suicide rates rising; locals fighting back

Lewis said it's a topic that the public should talk about more.

"Suicide is one of the highest rates of death within our black youth," Lewis said.

That number is climbing. The CDC said from 2018-2021, suicide among black youth ages 10 to 23 increased 37%.

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Marie Humes

"For a lot of our Black youth, they don’t have a lot of knowledge around what suicide ideation is," said Humes. "Or just the language around suicide."

The CDC said the numbers could be a result of disparities in access to health care. Black youth are less likely to receive mental health treatment when needed compared to white youth.

"Bring together professionals and helping members of the community to give our youth a chance," said Lewis. "To talk about it, identify it, and do something about it."

On Friday, Milwaukee Public Schools and Marquette joined organizations to open the discussion on how they can be a part of reducing these rates.

"Talk about hope and healing," said Lewis. "How we can identify some of those symptoms of suicide."

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Kari Lewis

Lewis knows it isn't easy for young people to ask for help, that's why, it's important to know how we can be there for them.

"To provide that mentorship is so important," said Humes. "Once you let someone in, and you don’t feel like you are a burden, because you’re not. We all want to be a friend to somebody, so being able to do that is what saves lives."

If you or someone you know need help, call 988, that number will connect you to resources in the area.