COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new youth initiative in Franklin County is working to combat rising youth suicide rates by focusing resources where they are needed most.  The Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition said its strategy is data-driven, allowing it to identify at-risk groups and tai lor resources accordingly.  Colleen Dempsey, director of suicide prevention at Mental Health America of Ohio, emphasized the importance of analyzing data to identify concerning trends.  “By doing deeper dives into the data, we’re really looking for emerging patterns and how prevention strategies should be adjusted for different populations,” Dempsey said.  According to Youth Suicide Prevention Manager Lauren Bromund, that data revealed alarming results.  “In the last six years — since about 2018 — we’ve seen a significant increase, almost doubling, of our youth suicide rate here in Franklin County,” Bromund said.  The data also revealed stark disparities among certain groups. Black children between the ages of 5 and 12 are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their white peers, and youth in the LGBTQIA community also face an increased risk.  In response, the Youth Initiative was created.   The data enabled the coalition to secure a grant, which is now funding efforts to connect with these vulnerable populations. The program trains both adults and youth to engage in meaningful conversations and build a strong support network.  “We focus on bringing together supportive adults who are informed about this issue and how they can help,” Bromund said. “We also emphasize engaging youth leadership because we've found that youth suicide prevention is most effective when it's youth-led.”    The coalition is currently seeking adults from diverse backgrounds to help facilitate these conversations. Training will equip participants to talk about emotions, address suicidal thoughts, and guide discussions as needed. For more information, click here.  ...read more read less