I am a resident of Dallas- Fort Worth, TX, deeply concerned about the mental health of our adolescents. The issue is personal to me because suicide is the third leading cause of death among high school-aged youths aged 14-28 years. In 2021 alone, the suicide rate for this age group was 9.0 per 100,000 population. With almost eight million people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, that means six hundred and eighty-seven youth would have taken their own life due to problems they felt they could not escape.

These numbers are not just statistics; they represent real lives lost too soon - young individuals who felt so overwhelmed by their struggles that they saw no other way out. This is a public health issue that has reached alarming levels and if left unchecked could grow into an epidemic.

To combat this growing crisis, I am calling for schools in Dallas- Fort Worth to implement comprehensive suicide awareness and prevention programs within middle and high schools. These programs should aim at educating students about the signs of suicidal ideation in themselves or others, provide resources for help, promote open discussions about mental health issues without stigma or judgment.

Jesse Uriegas was a teen who succumbed to his depression and suicidal thoughts at the tender age of 15 on February 22nd, 2019. Jesse’s classmates said Jesse ranted a lot. More than a few heard him say that he wanted to die or threaten to kill himself. Jesse’s parents and siblings knew him as a big-hearted, artistic and music-loving young man. He was raised on classic rock, and, by age 9, was entertaining guitar store customers with his take on tough Rush licks. According to the Grant Halliburton Foundation, a local leader in suicide prevention and mental health, we lose a teen to suicide at the rate of about one per day statewide and two per week in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

By taking these steps we can create a supportive environment where adolescents feel safe to discuss their feelings openly without fear of judgment or misunderstanding. We owe it to our children to provide them with all available resources needed to navigate through these challenging years safely.

Please sign this petition urging our local schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth TX area to take immediate action towards implementing effective suicide awareness and prevention programs within their curriculum.