At UC Berkeley, assistant professor Jasmin Brooks Stephens is leading efforts to address the increasing suicide rates among Black youth by focusing on cultural, familial, and community strengths. Recent data indicates that between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black youth aged 10 to 17 surged by 144%. Additionally, Black boys die by suicide more than twice as often as Black girls, although the rate among Black girls increased by 182% from 2001 to 2017.
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During a summer program, four local teenagers brainstormed at Berkeley to help researchers develop initiatives aimed at reducing these alarming rates. This project, in collaboration with the Homeless Children’s Network, aims to improve mental health outcomes for Black youth. Brooks Stephens emphasized the importance of youth participation, recalling their enthusiasm when they realized they could create programs to promote their well-being.
Brooks Stephens’ research adopts a participatory approach, which is considered innovative in the field of suicide prevention. Rather than focusing solely on crisis response, she seeks to understand the factors that promote resilience and hope among youth, aiming to foster environments where they feel valued and empowered. Despite the worsening situation for Black youth, overall suicide rates among adolescents in the U.S. are declining, suggesting that current prevention methods may not effectively address the unique challenges faced by Black communities.
Brooks Stephens has linked the rise in suicide risk to experiences of racism and systemic inequities, as highlighted in a 2023 report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her own background informs her approach; she has recognized the complex dynamics of racial identity and mental health early in her career. Through her doctoral studies and research, she identified a gap in how resilience is discussed in suicide prevention literature, which has often concentrated on crises rather than cultivating positive well-being among youth.
To counteract negative influences, she has developed the Black Youth Thriving Framework for Suicide Prevention, which identifies six protective factors: family support, community connections, self-acceptance, and others. Initial findings show a correlation between strong self-acceptance and reduced vulnerability to depression and suicide in Black young adults. Furthermore, Brooks Stephens is exploring mindfulness and meditation as tools to help manage impulsivity associated with suicidal tendencies.
She aims to shift the focus of suicide prevention away from reactive measures and towards proactive strategies that empower Black youth. This summer’s collaboration with local teenagers was part of this vision, allowing them to contribute to designing meaningful solutions. Brooks Stephens is committed to incorporating their insights and perspectives to create effective programs that inspire young people to embrace their identities and envision hopeful futures.