The BC Coroners Service is calling\u00a0for\u00a0a province-wide strategy to reduce suicides among young people after a new report found significant gaps in\u00a0support\u00a0systems\u2014especially\u00a0for\u00a0Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n
Content warning:\u00a0mention of suicide statistics in young people. There is a consensus about the need to do better in supporting\u00a0B.C.\u2019s young people in terms of their\u00a0mental\u00a0health.<\/p>\n BC Coroners Service<\/a>\u00a0issued a\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0by the death-review panel about deaths by suicide in young people, published Oct. 14.<\/p>\n It includes recommendations about how to constructively and informatively reduce deaths by suicide by\u00a0youth, including those who belong to Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n About the report<\/p>\n The report,\u00a0Creating Connection, Supporting Strengths: A Review of\u00a0Youth\u00a0and Young Adult Deaths by Suicide In British Columbia, 2019-2023<\/a>, was created in consultation with front-line service providers and\u00a0experts, in fields such as\u00a0youth\u00a0mental\u00a0health, education and child care, and Indigenous\u00a0health.<\/p>\n The report reviewed the deaths of 435 young people in\u00a0B.C. who died as a result of suicide between Jan. 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2023.<\/p>\n Findings showed that, on average, there were 22 deaths of 9-18-year-olds, and 65 deaths of 19 to 25 year olds annually.<\/p>\n Rates within Indigenous communities<\/p>\n The report insinuates that voices of Indigenous communities have not received adequate responses nor attention from provincial\u00a0health\u00a0care or social\u00a0support\u00a0systems.<\/p>\n Within its summary, it says that the rate of suicide among Indigenous\u00a0youth\u00a0and young adults was 17%, which, according to the report, is four times higher than the provincial rate.<\/p>\n 23% of 9-18-year-old suicide deaths were Indigenous, and 15% of 19-25-year-old suicide deaths were also Indigenous.<\/p>\n Currently, the BC Coroners Service is unable to distinguish whether the Indigenous decedents are First Nations, M\u00e9tis and\/or Inuit.<\/p>\n Disproportionate representation, and continued discussion over Indigenous rights<\/p>\n According to the 2021 Canadian\u00a0Census<\/a>, 9.1% of the\u00a0B.C. population under 25 identified as Indigenous. This percentage is likely underestimated, and therefore Indigenous\u00a0youth\u00a0and young adults are disproportionately over represented among those who die by suicide in\u00a0B.C.<\/p>\n \u201cNational\u00a0health\u00a0data systems lack Indigenous identifiers, do not capture data from some regions, and do not routinely engage Indigenous communities in data governance,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>\n The report also addresses the ongoing erasure of inherent Indigenous rights, and how Indigenous people may be supported amidst oppression.<\/p>\n \u201cThe erasure of inherent rights to self-determination, land, family, community and\u00a0health\u00a0through systematic colonization and continued racism and discrimination has resulted in lasting and ongoing impacts on the wellbeing of Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n \u201cIndigenous approaches are shifting focus towards life promotion and conditions that\u00a0support\u00a0\u2026 strength and capacity in the face of oppressive policies.\u201d<\/p>\n The report\u2019s recommendations<\/p>\n The panel\u2019s discussion culminated in striving\u00a0for\u00a0solutions.<\/p>\n The panel issued the following recommendations, intended to prevent future deaths and improve public\u00a0health\u00a0and public safety\u00a0for\u00a0youth\u00a0and young adults in\u00a0B.C.:<\/p>\n Create and implement a provincial suicide-risk-reduction framework specifically focused on\u00a0youth\u00a0and young adults.<\/p>\n Improve data collection, information sharing and reporting processes to better understand and\u00a0support\u00a0diverse communities throughout\u00a0B.C.<\/p>\n Review existing social and emotional\u00a0health-related resources to ensure they meet the needs of the diversity of school-age students in\u00a0B.C.<\/p>\n Create an educational model to ensure doctors, nurses, paramedics and other emergency medical professionals are appropriately trained in early identification, assessment, management and followup of\u00a0youth\u00a0and young adults who are at higher risk of death by suicide.<\/p>\n Co-develop a \u201cthird spaces\u201d strategy to create venues\u00a0for\u00a0young people to develop and maintain connections in their own communities.<\/p>\n Chair of the death-review panel Ryan Panton shared his sentiments about these recommendations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that losing a young life to suicide is devastating \u2026 These actions will help reduce the risk, while supporting better\u00a0mental-health\u00a0outcomes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Furthermore, BC Coroner Services\u2019 chief coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said that young people should be assured of the\u00a0support\u00a0they need, and when they need it.<\/p>\n \u201cI am confident this report will help ensure those supports are available and accessible to all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n READ MORE: B.C. releases guidance for doctors on youth mental health and substance-use care<\/a><\/p>\n Aligning with Indigenous approaches<\/p>\n Significantly, the content of the report appears to align with Indigenous approaches to treatment.<\/p>\n It explains that Indigenous approaches to suicide prevention embrace culture as treatment, and land as medicine, and that these approaches have been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.<\/p>\n The First Nations\u00a0Health\u00a0Authority (FNHA<\/a>) website describes the significance of community as the \u201cbest way\u201d of suicide prevention; traditional values such as family connectedness, and emotional safety.<\/p>\n
Those experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide can go directly to the Squamish Hospital emergency or can call 9-8-8\u00a0for\u00a0the Suicide Crisis Helpline 24\/7 or\u00a01-800-SUICIDE<\/a>.<\/p>\n