New federal data indicates a decline in adolescent suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts between 2021 and 2025, highlighting the impact of targeted prevention programmes and crisis services amid ongoing challenges.
Federal efforts to prevent youth suicide may be beginning to show results, with new federal data indicating that the share of adolescents reporting suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts declined between 2021 and 2025. In comments to Healio, Brandon Johnson, chief of the suicide prevention branch at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, called the figures “encouraging trends” while stressing that much more remains to be done.
According to the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 10.4% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 said they had seriously thought about suicide in the previous year, down from 12.9% in 2021. The share reporting a suicide plan fell to 5.1% from 6.2%, while the percentage saying they had attempted suicide dropped to 2.9% from 3.6%. Johnson noted that the survey also allowed responses such as “I’m not sure” and “I don’t want to answer”, which means the true rates may be higher than the headline figures suggest.
Johnson said the declines may reflect, at least in part, federal investment in youth suicide prevention. He pointed to the Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention programme, which SAMHSA says is designed to help states and tribes implement prevention and early intervention strategies for people up to age 24. SAMHSA’s latest funding announcement for the programme, issued in May 2026, set aside more than $15 million and allowed up to 21 awards over five years.
He also highlighted the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides round-the-clock phone, text and chat access to trained crisis counsellors. Johnson said youth are especially likely to use chat and text services, and added that the number of youth and young adults who died by suicide fell by nearly 4,400 in the first 2½ years after 988 launched. Still, he said standard care must include screening, suicide-specific treatment and safety planning with families, adding that “any young person experiencing suicidal ideation gets the care they need”.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
