September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, making it a great time to look at this serious issue and what can be done to combat it. One organization, Stand for the Silent, is working with multiple groups to help prevent youth suicide, and they are offering ways for others to get involved to do the same. The more people come together to address this issue, the more effective we will be as a society in helping to protect our youth from the perils that face our nation’s youth.
"This is such an important topic that we must come together to address it,” says Kirk Smalley, co-founder of Stand for the Silent. "Our youth depend on us working together to help address the issue. I encourage everyone to get involved, join together, and do what they can to help address bullying and youth suicide, which are closely related.”
Smalley is no stranger to this topic. He founded Stand for the Silent after his 11-year-old son committed suicide following being bullied. It's a situation he never wants other families to experience, and he has made it his mission to help raise awareness, provide tools, and do what he can to address the problem that is plaguing kids around the country.
According to the National Institutes of Health, rates of preteen suicide (ages 8-12) have been increasing by 8% per year since 2008. While this is less than the teen suicide rates, it is alarming and demonstrates how serious this growing problem is. It's now impacting even elementary-age children. For teens ages 15-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the suicide rate remains steady, following a 57% increase between 2001 and 2009.
Bullying is at the root of many cases of young people who commit suicide. It’s an issue that experience as they grow up. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bullying is widespread in the country, and harms youth. Bullying is experienced in a variety of ways, including physical, verbal, social, and even cyberbullying, which is carried out on electronic devices. The CDC reports that around 28% of middle school students, 15% of high school students, and 10% of elementary students are bullied at least once per week. Cyberbullying instances tend to be even more frequent. The bullying is linked to youth becoming stressed, depressed, and often suicidal.
One of the most effective ways to address this crucial issue is to bring together forces within the community. As such, Stand for the Silent has created partnerships and is expanding access to suicide prevention resources, offering practical tips and tools for parents, teachers, and students. The resources they provide include downloadable guides, school toolkits, and community engagement strategies designed to help adults recognize warning signs, foster open conversations, and connect young people with the support they need. Each year, the organization also travels the country, visiting schools and communities to hold assemblies regarding bullying and help create a community of support that rises against it.
They have collaborations with schools, civic organizations, MMA fighters (including Irann Orozco and Trey Anderson), and music talents, such as Nacho and Ciscoh, to help amplify the mission of saving young lives. The collaborations will enable them to reach a wider audience and offer more helpful tools. They aim to connect young people with the support and resources they need.
"I'd love to get more people involved in this movement, and this is the month to make it a priority,” added Smalley. “Reach out to us. Let’s work together to help save our youth! Together, we can make a much more effective impact on this issue.”
Stand for the Silent travels the country, delivering presentations about bullying to schools, providing bullying prevention resources, offering scholarships, and providing intervention strategies. Those interested in getting involved can start a chapter of the group in their area, obtain a free K-2 bullying prevention curriculum or a cyberbullying handbook for parents, host a presentation at their school, introduce the 'How It All Started' video, and make a donation to help support the cause. To get more information, visit the site at: https://standforthesilent.org/