Founded in 1997 after the loss of the founder’s son, Jason, The Jason Foundation has declared its mission to help educate parents, teachers, youth workers and especially youth on the “silent epidemic” of youth suicide. With offices at Heartland, The Jason Foundation continues its movement of suicide prevention through education and awareness.
Youth Suicide Facts
- Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for ages 15-24 and fourth for ages 10-14.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college-age youth.
- NHSDA Report/SAMHSA (U.S. Dept. of Health): In 2000, more than 3 million youth seriously considered suicide in the U.S., and of that number, more than 1 million attempted suicide. That equates to more than 19,000 attempts each week in our nation by young people between the ages of 12-17, which averages to almost two attempts each minute.
- Nationally, once every 117 minutes, a person under the age of 25 completes suicide.
- Each week, we lose approximately 100-plus young people in our nation to suicide.
- It is projected that more than 5,000 young people each year complete suicide.
- Even though white males make up the majority of completed suicides, from 1980-1995, suicide among black youth ages 10-14 increased 233 percent, and in black youth, ages 15-19 suicide rates increased 126 percent. For black youth in the Southern region of the nation, there was an increase of 214 percent.
- In the past 40 years, youth suicide rates have almost tripled. Between 1980-1996, suicide rates for ages 10-14 increased by 100 percent.
- In 1996, more teenagers and young adults died of suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza and chronic lung disease combined.
- Four out of five young people who attempt suicide have given clear warnings.
Contact The Jason Foundation, Inc.
18 Volunteer Drive
Hendersonville, TN 37075
(615) 264-2323
(888) 881-2323
You can also call 1-877-778-CARL.
