Idaho gets $1.29M from feds to fight teen suicide

BOISE — Idaho programs to reduce the state’s high suicide rate among young people are getting a financial boost from the federal government. The State Department of Education announced Tuesday it’s received a $1.29 million grant for suicide-reduction efforts over three years. This will provide the seed money for the Idaho Lives Project, a partnership with groups including the Idaho Suicide Prevent Action Network. Idaho ranks among the top five states for teen suicides and in the top ten states for overall suicides. One reason: Young people in the state’s rural hinterlands may not have access to prevention and mental health services. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna aims to use this federal grant to equip schools and communities with the resources necessary to keep kids from taking their own lives.