The pandemic has created a devastating impact on mental health hospitalizations and suicidal thoughts for teenagers.
Their routines unexpectedly came to a halt. Many teenagers experienced uncertainty and social isolation.
According to 2019 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average suicide rate in the U.S. for ages 15 through 24 is nearly 14 out of every 100,000 people.
Hawai?i’s suicide rate for that same age group is nearly 16 per 100,000.
Marie Vorsino, vice president of intervention programs at Parents and Children Together, teaches a suicide intervention method known as Question, Persuade and Refer -- or QPR.
"QPR is an intervention for preventing a suicide, so it’s not a treatment. It is a technique that someone can easily use to ask the right questions," she said.
"To persuade or almost convince that person that help is available and I can help you get that help -- and that’s the refer part of it. Let me get you an appointment with a therapist, let me take you to your therapist to talk about this, let me take you to the hospital so that you can talk to someone about how you’re feeling and the emotional pain that you’re in right now."
If you are having thoughts of hurting yourself, the CARES hotline for O?ahu is 808-832-3100. If you live on any other island, the toll-free number is 1-800-753-5879. Or you can text ALOHA to 741-741.
