Mental Health of Youth by Race and Ethnicity
14 County Finger Lakes Region 2019-2023
Monroe County high school students complete a biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey that asks about several areas of health, including mental health, self-harm, and suicide ideation. The chart on the left shows that self-injury and thoughts of suicide were reported most frequently among Latino respondents in the 2023-2024 survey. Additional analysis of hospital data for the 14-county Finger Lakes region in 2019-2023, depicted in the chart to the right, revealed that the highest ED and inpatient visit rates for intentional self-harm were among Black non-Latino youth when compared to White non-Latino and Latino youth. These data indicate youth of color are experiencing significant challenges and could benefit from culturally relevant supports. A local mental health professional noted that suicide can be so culturally stigmatized among the Black community that it is often not talked about, making it difficult for someone experiencing those feelings to know how to talk about it and with whom. For details, see the Monroe County Behavioral Health Needs Assessment and the spotlight So Much More than Academics: School-based Opportunities to Address Self-Harm among Youth.
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