Native American communities in the U.S. face the highest suicide rates, yet culturally relevant interventions remain scarce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that non-Hispanic Indigenous people have the highest suicide rates among all racial or ethnic groups. In Montana, the suicide rate among Native American youth is over five times the statewide rate for the same age group.
Despite extensive research into suicide prevention, rates among Indigenous people, particularly those aged 10 to 24, remain high. Experts attribute this to the national suicide prevention strategy’s lack of cultural relevance and sensitivity to Native American communities’ unique values. Stephen O’Connor, who leads the suicide prevention research program at the Division of Services and Intervention Research at the National Institute of Mental Health, calls for more funding for research in this area.
However, many tribal communities still rely on the limited mental health resources available through the Indian Health Service, with only one person tasked with addressing suicide across nearly 600 tribal nations.
See “Native American Communities Have the Highest Suicide Rates, Yet Interventions Are Scarce” by Cheryl Platzman Weinstock on the KFF Health News website (January 26, 2024)
