Teen suicide rates are bleak. School-based clinics help those in crisis | Amy Tran

One in 25 teens attempt suicide and one in eight think about doing so. Yet teens are especially ill-served by mental health services

At the inner-city school-based health center (SBHC) where I interned in 2013-2014, we couldn't always prevent tragedy in the lives of our students. Every week, some 250 students used our services, which ranged from medical services to counseling to snacks. From these encounters, I saw first-hand what data back up: a facility allowing students, teachers and mental health professionals to coordinate support in one place leads to better mental-health access for teens who need it most.

While mental health services in the US are generally inadequate, teens are especially ill-served by the existing gaps in the system. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Americans ages 10 to 24, with about 4,600 lives lost each year. According to a national study published in the Journal of JAMA Psychiatry in 2013, one in 25 teens attempt suicide and one in eight think about doing so; 80% of youth who attempt suicide and 90% of those who complete it have a history of a psychiatric or mental health disorder, including depression, substance abuse, conduct disorder, aggressive behavior patterns or anxiety disorders.