In a recent government meeting, officials highlighted the alarming rates of youth suicidality among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA NHPI) communities. The discussion centered around the effectiveness of the \"Changing Tides Anchor Program,\" a free suicide prevention training initiative developed in collaboration with the QPR Institute. Last year, over 600 participants engaged in this program, which aims to address the critical issue of suicide, the leading cause of death for AA NHPI youth aged 10 to 19 and the second leading cause for those aged 20 to 34.

Despite the program's outreach, the meeting underscored a troubling statistic: less than 20% of youth experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors receive adequate mental health care within their communities. Furthermore, fewer than half of those who attempt suicide access mental health services within a year following their hospital discharge.

Research from the California Healthy Kids Survey further emphasizes the urgency of the situation, revealing that a significant number of AA NHPI youth reported experiencing chronic feelings of sadness or hopelessness over the past year. The meeting concluded with a call for increased awareness and resources to support mental health care access for these vulnerable populations.