WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Comprehensive Suicide Project has received a total of $849,000 to support youth suicide prevention programs in Maine. This funding was awarded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention & Control.

The Maine Comprehensive Suicide Project is a collaborative initiative among several state agencies that seeks to educate and train adults in specific suicide prevention strategies and skills before they teach about suicide prevention, especially with youth.

“Suicide is a leading cause of death among Maine youth, and this heartbreak has affected far too many families. The pandemic and its consequences, such as social isolation, have only exacerbated mental health issues,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This critical funding will help our state build and strengthen suicide prevention programs. We will continue to work to provide the resources needed to help prevent these tragedies.”

According to a recent analysis by the CDC, suicide attempts among adolescents increased significantly during the pandemic, particularly among teen girls. A review of emergency department visits among youth ages 12 to 17 from February 21 to March 20, 2021, found suspected suicide attempts rose 51 percent among girls and 4 percent among boys over the same period last year.