It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Losing a child for any reason is devastating, but when it’s suicide, family and friends are not only grieving the unexpected loss, they often find themselves confused and guilt-ridden wondering why they were unable to prevent it. In North Carolina, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10 and 17 — and the numbers are rising. On this week’s show, we’re going to look at the trends and data on youth suicide with state experts and then hear from a prevention specialist about the warning signs as well as what our schools are doing – and what we can do – to keep our children safe.

Guests:

• Michelle Hughes, Executive Director, NC Child

• Kelly Lister, Crisis Intervention & Prevention Specialist, Wake County Public Schools