Rising Suicide Rates in Charlotte Schools

CHARLOTTE, NC — One in five middle and high school students in Charlotte say they’ve thought about taking their own life.

Having more counselors and mental health professionals in schools could help students before it’s too late. But CMS is dealing with a staff shortage.

“Our kids need guidance and support more than ever before,” says CMS Board of Education member Elyse Dashew.

A North Carolina Institute of Medicine report found the number of high school students who attempted suicide doubled from 2011 to 2015, with an almost 50% increase in the number of students experiencing major depression.

“Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24,” says CMS Crisis Response Specialist Lisa Newman.

The district has already handled 1,832 suicide risk assessments this school year; an average of 80 each week. And those numbers historically increase in the spring.

“Around 20% of our kids, which is about one in every five middle school and high school students, said that they have thought about that very seriously, or thought about how they would like to end their life,” says Newman.

CMS is dealing with a counselor, social worker and psychologist shortage.

“We’ve got one school psychologist for every 2,100 students,” says Dashew. “And some psychologists – that’s an average – so some are serving much more than that.”

Dashew says positions were cut during the recession, and have never been re-staffed.

“The recommended ratio, from the National Association of School Psychologists, it’s kind of staggering,” she continues. “I believe it’s one in 250!”

“One of the most powerful things for any child is the connection to a caring adult,” says Newman.

Stressful environments and unfettered access to information are issues for today’s student, with concerns about weapons and bullying adding to student stress and anxiety.

Newman says CMS teachers are getting extra training on the signs to look for, and how to get kids the help they need. And she’s encouraging parents to have the hard conversations.

“You may just want to ask them questions like: Have you ever had a time where you felt really sad? Have you ever thought about taking your own life, or hurting yourself on purpose?” Newman warns.

The school board has been working with Mecklenburg County commissioners to find funding to hire more counselors, social workers and psychologists for years, but so far the district remains understaffed.