Legislation
A Public Health Crisis
Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among teens in the United States. More teens die by suicide than they do by cancer, drug overdose, heart disease, and homicide….combined.
The Mountain West and the Dakotas are the epicenter of this public health crisis. Suicide in these states is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 – 24. An estimated 1 out of 6 teens has a diagnosable mental health condition. State surveys show that 10-20% of youth have seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, 5-15% made a suicide plan and in some states up to 10% made a suicide attempt.
Mental Health is treatable and suicide is preventable. The status quo is not working for our young people. Together we have the power to make things better.
We need to destigmatize mental health and start talking about and treating it like we would our physical health. If you are running a high fever you would not think twice about going to a doctor….having an anxiety attack is no different.
Our strategies vary by state based on existing law, regulation and need. We are currently focused on legislative activity in our home base states of Colorado and North Dakota but we are always looking for partners in other locations. If you have a passion to change the legal and regulatory landscape in your state send an email to advocacy@robbies-hope.com.
“I have spent the majority of my teenage years fighting a depression that originates from my eating disorder; Bulimia Nervosa. In high school I isolated myself from the things I loved because I did not believe I was worthy of them. Robbie’s Hope is a powerful organization because it exposes the truth; depression comes in all different shapes/sizes and the symptoms do not always show. My illness will forever be with me, but I know I don’t have to battle it alone.”