Suicide Awareness Month

In January of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked suicide as the 14th leading cause of death in New Jersey and the third leading cause of death for those ages 10 to 24. While New Jersey continues to have a lower rate of suicide compared to the national average, suicide remains a priority area to combat within the State.

Last year we saw how devasting a teen suicide could be. That is why it is important to learn as much as possible about the rise in teen deaths by suicide.  

The emotional well-being of students and staff is paramount to ensuring a successful academic year. To support schools in their efforts to increase awareness and prevent suicide, you may find it helpful to visit the New Jersey Department of Education’s updated Suicide Prevention website which includes resources for students, families, school staff, and free suicide prevention education toolkits. As always, the New Jersey Hopeline, the 2nd Floor Youth Helpline, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are available 24 hours/7 days a week if you or someone you know is considering suicide.

We are fortunate that we have great counselors and social workers here at Columbia High School. In fact, they are committed to further training this year by helping us become a "Grief-Informed School District." This will allow them to turnkey their training with us and for the school to receive grants and resources. 

Here are some school resources if you are interested in learning more:


Finally, the following three articles from the Star-Ledger look at this serious topic and provide helpful context for us educators.

  1. October 17, 2019 Article
  2. December 30, 2019 Article
  3. January 6, 2020 Article
  4. March 6, 2022 "Saving Charley"

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