Congressman Cleaver Urges President Obama to Develop Joint Task Force Between CDC and ED to Battle Increased Suicides Among Black Children

Today, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II wrote to President Obama to call for a joint task force between the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Education, on the problem of increased suicides among black children. A recent study revealed the rate of suicide among black children has increased in the past few years.

"Suicide is truly a tragedy for any family it affects," said Congressman Cleaver. "There is something especially saddening and shocking when very young children, between the ages of five and eleven, take their own lives. As a father and grandfather, I can only imagine the pain these families must face. This national study demonstrates that African-American children are more likely to be exposed to violence and traumatic stress which, in part, can increase the risk of depression, impulsive aggression, and suicide. The consequences for our children are more than dire—they are deadly. I urge the President and his Cabinet to identify proposals that healthcare and education providers can implement to deal with this heart-wrenching crisis, and to prevent further loss of life."

The study, Suicide Trends Among Elementary School–Aged Children in the United States From 1993 to 2012, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, found that the suicide rate among African-American children has almost doubled in the last two decades. This study also revealed that suicides by hanging roughly tripled among black boys, while remaining virtually unchanged for whites. To that point, the study noted that from 1993 through 2012, there were 657 suicides among children aged 5 through 11. Most were ages 10 or 11. The rate during the years studied was just over 1 per million children. But for black boys, it edged up from less than 2 per million to almost 3.5 per million. The study is available here.  

The text of the letter is available below.

Dear President Obama: 

According to a recently released study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the suicide rate among African-American children has almost doubled in the last two decades.  It was the first time a national study found a higher suicide rate for blacks than for whites of any age group. This groundbreaking study has stunned researchers and demonstrates that African-American children are more likely to be exposed to violence and traumatic stress, which in part, can increase the risk of depression, impulsive aggression, and suicide. This study also revealed that suicides by hanging roughly tripled among black boys, while remaining virtually unchanged for white children.  The study noted that from 1993 through 2012, there were 657 suicides among children aged 5 through 11. The rate during the years studied was just over 1 per million children. While there was a decline among white boys, the rate edged up from less than 2 per million to almost 3.5 per million for black boys..

Due to the severity of these findings, I am urging you to direct the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Education (ED) to come together and create a joint task force to address this issue of increased suicides among black children and determine what needs to be done in the medical and education community to address this issue. Additionally, I am requesting that this proposed task force develop proposals that health care and education providers can implement to deal with this crisis, which would hopefully include increased mental health screening.

It is critical that the CDC and ED respond to these troublesome findings with the utmost urgency.  The health and well-being of our pre-adolescent constituencies is a crucial component to the overall safety of our country.  I am hopeful that CDC and ED will work to curtail the number of increased suicides among African-American children.

I appreciate your attention to this important matter and if I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me in my Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-4535.

 

Sincerely,

Emanuel Cleaver, II

Member of Congress

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and also a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.