Understanding Youth Mental Health and Preventing Unauthorized Access to Firearms

As a parent, you can approach mental health care and suicide prevention in the same way you do other health and safety issues with your children. By educating yourself, you can learn what you can do in times of need to protect them. Checking in on your child’s mental health and asking the right questions – in the right way – is an important starting place. At the same time, being aware of what “lethal means” (anything such as medications, firearms, sharp objects, etc.) are in your home and what you can do to prevent unauthorized access to them can be the difference between a life saved and a tragedy for families or whole communities.