Never a Bother: California’s Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign

Hi all, 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24 years in the United States. The suicide rate for this group has increased by a staggering 62% from 2007 through 2021. The good news is that organizations are responding to this disturbing trend. One of them is the California Department of Public Health, which, in 2024, launched a new youth suicide prevention campaign called “Never a Bother”. The campaign aims to raise awareness and promote help-seeking behaviors among youth (e.g., reaching out for help for themselves or a friend).

One of the most interesting features of this campaign is that it was co-created by youth and their allies. It is impressive just how much input was provided from youth, who are the target audience/priority group in this case. The campaign organizers began with a baseline survey to gather information on knowledge, awareness, and behaviors related to suicide prevention in priority counties. Next, over 400 youth from diverse communities across the state were engaged through focus groups, listening sessions, and co-creation sessions using art, music, and storytelling. Additionally, 34 youth-serving community-based organizations and tribal groups from across California were consulted, and a paid Youth Advisory Board was established comprising youth representatives from different counties, diverse backgrounds, and lived experience. All of their voices were incorporated into the campaign concept and strategy. 

Results from the campaign research found that youth were concerned about bothering their family members or peers about their mental health challenges (hence the campaign name Never a Bother), they felt alone in their struggles, and didn’t always know where to go to get support. Through in-depth research, the campaign organizers found the following barriers to seeking help:

-       Feelings of unworthiness

-       Lack of knowledge

-       Stigma and shame

-       Fear

-       Concerns over confidentiality and mistrust

-       Consequences of seeking help

 

The overall campaign strategy aimed to overcome these barriers: 

-       Validate a young person’s distress and address internalized stigma

-       Appeal to youth’s personal sense of agency and provide them with the ‘how to’ of supporting themselves and a friend

-       Offer multiple pathways to seek and receive help before, during, and after a crisis

-       Build trust by providing specific and honest information about what happens when a youth reaches out for help

-       Share positive and real stories of young people from similar backgrounds being helped while connecting with crisis and other support resources

What has the campaign impact been so far? While I could not find any measurements available for behavior change, I did find that it has garnered 725 million impressions online since its launch. This is an impressive demonstration that the campaign is well-known and recognized throughout the state of California. To access Never a Bother campaign resources on their award-winning website, click here. To watch a webinar recording about how the campaign was developed, click here. To follow the campaign on Instagram or TikTok, use this handle: @NeveraBother.