Mental-health access and suicide risk among Black teens and young adults
Understanding the Role of Mental Healthcare Access and Availability for Suicide Risk among Adolescents & Young Adults
This project follows Black adolescents and young adults ages 16–24 to learn whether access to mental health care relates to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369770 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, I'll be part of a group of 1,000 Black adolescents and young adults (ages 16–24) across the U.S. and Puerto Rico who complete a web survey at enrollment and then once a year for two years. The surveys ask about suicidal thoughts and behaviors, mood and anxiety symptoms, substance use, feelings of belonging or burdensomeness, and what mental-health services are available where I live. The research team will recruit through online ads, schools, community partners, and other digital networks and will adapt outreach as technologies and community needs change. The information collected will be used to shape public health programs and improve access to care that might reduce suicide risk for Black youth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Black adolescents and young adults aged 16–24 living in the U.S. or Puerto Rico who can complete web-based surveys and agree to annual follow-up are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who are not Black, are outside the 16–24 age range, or cannot participate in online follow-up are unlikely to directly benefit from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help improve mental-health access and guide programs to lower suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Black adolescents and young adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links mental-health access to suicide risk, but few large national longitudinal studies have focused specifically on Black adolescents and young adults, so this approach is partly novel.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: English, Devin — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: English, Devin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.