HCS455_Week_5_Individual_Assignment.doc

HCS455_Week_5_Individual_A Future Policy Issue This paper will discuss how suicide rates in children and teens is emerging within health care. The policy will discuss the importance of the issue, how the policy will be addressed, its advantages and disadvantages and what level of government will implement the policy. Suicide rates in children and teens is important because there has been an increase in cases in the United States. According to CDC(2018) “In 2016, suicide became the secondleading cause of death in individuals age 10 to 24 years.” A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that suicide deaths among young women ages 15 to 19 doubled from 2.4 to 5.1 per 100,000 people between 2007 and 2015. Many theories state that families and teens are under stress and the use of technology within teens are some causes of depression and mood disorders. It is important for parents to watch for signs that their children are troubled and to take them seriously. Some signs to watch for are when a child states ‘I don’t think that people care if I die,’ or ‘I think people would be better off if I weren’t around.’ Mental and behavioral health issues are not taking as serious as they should be. A possible policy action for teen suicide is the improvement access to mental and behavioral health services. As serious as this issue has become over time, changes in regulations,