LGBTQ+ Community organizations recently had the opportunity to meet with Ashley Dawson from the Department of Services for Children Youth and their Families (DSCYF) to discuss suicide prevention efforts and LGBGTQ+ Youth.
Anita Smulyan (representing PFLAG Rehoboth Beach), Jim Bianchetti (representing PFLAG Wilmington) and David Mariner (representing Sussex Pride) learned more about the statewide youth suicide prevention campaign ‘Not Alone Delaware’ (www.delaware.gov/notalone)
Delaware LGBTQ+ Youth are at high risk for suicide. A survey of Delaware LGBTQ+ Youth conducted last year by the Trevor Project showed that 49% of Delaware LGBTQ+ Youth surveyed seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 17% of Delaware LGBTQ+ Youth have attempted suicide.
The concern about the state youth suicide prevention campaign was that it was silent on the concerns of LGBTQ+ Youth. To ignor a group at such high risk of suicide is unacceptable. DSCYF has since added one link to a Trevor Project Resource on their website, but much more work needs to be done.
Sussex Pride will continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ Health Equity in the State of Delaware and hopes our conversation with DSCYF will continue.
To learn more about our work supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Delaware, visit sussexpride.org/youth
To learn more about our work advocating for LGBTQ+ Health Equity, visit sussexpride.org/health