§ 30:9A-12 — Findings, declarations

The Legislature finds and declares that the incidence of suicide among adolescents has increased alarmingly and suicide presently ranks as the second leading cause of death for adolescents between the ages of 15 and 24 years; that the increase in the rate of adolescent suicide is often associated with the significant changes in life-styles, values and family relationships that are occurring in our society; that the occurrence of adolescent suicide is found among youth of all racial, social and economic backgrounds and even though suicide is underreported as a cause of death for adolescents, in 1982, 114 youth suicides were reported in New Jersey; that mental health professionals believe that many suicides can be prevented through suicide awareness education programs in the schools and crisis intervention programs for adolescents and their families in the community; and that in order to ensure that the most effective prevention and crisis intervention programs are available and developed Statewide, it is necessary to establish a youth suicide prevention program in the State Department of Human Services which will be administered by community mental health services providers in cooperation with local boards of education. L. 1985, c. 195, s. 1, eff. June 26, 1985.