PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island received $3.6 million in federal funding for suicide-prevention programs, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., announced on Wednesday.
The grant, which comes from the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention grant, will support the Rhode Island Youth Suicide Prevention Project through 2025. The project implements evidence-based, suicide-prevention education programs to selected public schools and community-based organizations that serve adolescents and their families.
The project is also funded by the R.I. Department of Health via funds from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“The rate of suicides in this country is staggering and we need an evidence-based approach to identify people at-risk and successful intervention strategies to help them,” stated Reed. “Many young people who commit suicide have a treatable mental illness, but don’t get the help they need. These federal funds will help expand effective education, outreach, and prevention strategies so at-risk youth can get help before it is too late.”
The Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention grant was created by The Garrett Smith Memorial Act, which was designed to increased funding for youth suicide programs and to support statewide strategies for early intervention and suicide prevention.
