Black boys are twice as likely to die by suicide than white youth. In 2014, 80% of suicide deaths in the Black community were men. black men in the US have the highest attempt rate for the African American community, according to a study by Dr. Patrice Nicole
The suicide rate, according to The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, among Black youth has “risen faster than in any other racial/ethnic group in the past two decades, with suicide rates in Black males 10 to19 years old increasing by 60%. Early adolescent Black youth are twice as likely to die by suicide as compared to their white counterparts.”
September is national suicide prevention and awareness month, and Chris James, Director for Creative Connections, partnered with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health to create a new program for black boys in the Atlanta metro area called Black Boys Better.
The focus of the program is teaching black male students in a round table intimate set-up how to identify and respond to mental health issues in a healthy manner. This week was the launch of the program, which includes sessions designed students to become emotionally literate so they can affectively express themselves:
- Day 1: Properly identifying emotions
- Day 2: Learning positive coping mechanisms
- Day 3: Exploring ethical Dilemmas
- Day 4: Conflict resolution
- Day 5: Healthy communication
After the initial sessions, the next step is to work with the schools to evaluate impact and to implement a year-long program.
“We are also exploring training the Black males at each school to continue to the program as well,” he said.
Furthermore, Black Boys Better strives to help Black boys become more emotionally literate so they can most…
Read the full article here
