Every September, at the national level, the month of suicide prevention is commemorated, an opportunity to raise awareness about a silent crisis that strongly affects Latin adolescents, who present one of the highest rates of suicide attempts in the country.
To respond to this reality, the Life Is Priceus program (life is beautiful), created by the Community organization, offers a safe and culturally appropriate space for Latinas between 12 and 17 years.
Its mission is clear: prevent suicide through emotional, educational and family support. “This program reduces the risk factors of Latin young people who have suicidal ideas, who have already tried to commit suicide or suffer from depression,” said Beatriz Coronel, Communlife Deputy Vice President.
The program not only works with adolescents, it also involves their families. “We create programming for parents, so that they understand the problem, learn to handle moments of crisis and understand what their daughters are living,” Coronel added.
The initiative is free and works in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and other areas of New York. It offers extracurricular activities and, during the summer, camps.
“The requirements are: to be in school, be between 12 and 17, being Latin, having the consent of the parents and being in therapy or willing to start a therapeutic process. Everything happens after school hours,” he explained.
Participants receive artistic workshops, academic tutoring, physical activity, family orientation and mental health services.
“We teach you different ways of communicating. Art and music have become phenomenal tools to begin to clear, heal and express themselves,” he said.
The entrance process begins with an interview that allows you to know the context of each young man and her family.
“In that interview we analyzed the history of the young woman and her surroundings. Thus we identified the factors that led her to that moment of crisis,” Colonel explained.
Although New York registered in 2023 one of the lowest suicide rates in the country, almost 2,000 people died from this cause. Suicide remains the second cause of death among young people from 10 to 24 years, according to the Centers for the control and prevention of US diseases.
“We are seeing that the levels increase, and worries that there is more need than suppliers. Getting a therapist immediately is already difficult,” Colonel warned.
In this context, work with families is essential to break stigmas.
“We work very closely with families to lose shame and understand that this is a global problem. With everything that happens in this country, we will see more cases of young people who cannot deal with pressure,” he said.
In times of crisis, it is vital to remember that there is always help available. The National Suicide Prevention Line 988 attends 24 hours, every day of the year, and offers free and confidential assistance by telephone, text message or chat.
This month, and always, remember that life is beautiful can be the first step to save one.
If you or someone you know is going through a similar situation, seek help in life is precious (LIP) through the website: https://comunilife.org/lip.
