APA Moore Equity Podcast Series

A new limited podcast series premiering on APA’s Medical Mind this July delves into the alarming research on youth suicide, highlighting the unique vulnerabilities and systemic barriers at-risk adolescents face. Through in-depth conversations, the series aims to provide actionable strategies for mental health professionals, social service providers, families, and young people to foster resilience, connection, and hope in the face of this growing crisis.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 24, with rates increasing by a staggering 52% over the past two decades. This vulnerable age group also accounts for the highest number of emergency room visits related to self-harm. Particularly at risk are children, teens, and young adults from diverse or intersectional identities, including Native/Indigenous communities, LGBTQ+ youth, and Black children, who face compounded challenges due to systemic inequities, discrimination, and cultural stigmas around mental health.

In the series premier episode, Dale Walker, M.D., a Cherokee psychiatrist and founder of the One Sky Center, notes that fragmented healthcare delivery, lack of consistent funding, and historical oppression all contribute to mental health inequities among native youth. He advocates for a model of care built on unity, empowerment, security, control, and dignity, principles he calls essential for helping individuals move across the “past, present, and future tense” of their identities. His co-host Helen Blaisdell Brennan, M.D., reflects on similar healing practices in Native Hawaiian communities, including oral recitation of genealogy and connection to their ancestral lands, to illustrate how cultural continuity becomes a stabilizing force in identity formation.

Each episode will feature a dynamic pairing of a host drawn from the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) membership - leaders of APA's Minority and Underrepresented (M/UR) Caucuses. Guests will bring specialized knowledge to illuminate topics such as cultural competence in youth mental health care, evidence-based interventions, genetic biomarkers and co-occurring illnesses, and the importance of community-driven support systems. “There is hope, and there are more tools and resources than before… and people dedicating their lives to this work,” said Ruby Castilla-Puentes, M.D.

Through storytelling, expert insights, and practical guidance, this series empowers listeners with the tools and understanding needed to make a meaningful impact in combating youth suicide—one conversation at a time.

By: Fátima Reynolds, M.P.H.

Listen to The Breaking the Silence series below: