Mental Health

Youth Suicide Rates

Youth Suicide Rates
One of DCYF’s health goals is for youth to experience positive behavioral and mental health. Trends in mental health over the past decade show an increase in rates of suicide and attempted suicide. Although rates began decreasing after 2021, in 2023 the rate of youth suicide and attempted suicide was still nearly 500% higher than it was ten years prior.
Rate of Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 2013-2023
Rate of Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 2013-2023
Sources: Department of Health, Office of Hospital and Patient Data Systems, Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS) and Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics Death Certificate Data, as reported by Starks, A., Sharkova, I., Leibenguth, S., & Huber, A. (2025). Community outcome & risk evaluation: Risk and protection profile for substance abuse prevention in Washington State. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Research and Data Analysis. https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/rda/riskprofiles/research-4.47-state.pdf
Notes: Suicides are based on death certificate information and attempts are based on hospital admissions, but do not include admissions to federal hospitals.
The coding of intent for injuries and poisonings in hospital admissions data underwent a transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes in the fall of 2015. It has affected the 2015 and 2016 data on suicide attempts reported here. Researchers have concluded that the marked changes in 2015 and 2016 are "almost certainly" an artifact of the coding changes rather than increases in suicidal behavior, as some cases previously coded as undetermined intent are now coded as self-harm. These coding changes do not explain increases in suicidal behavior in the years following 2016. For more information, see: Stewart, C., Crawford, P.M., & Simon, G. (2017). Changes in coding of suicide attempts or self-harm with transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10. Psychiatric Services, 68(3), 215-215. https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.201600450.
Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 5 Year Rate, 2019-2023
Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 5 Year Rate, 2019-2023
State Source: Department of Health, Office of Hospital and Patient Data Systems, Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS) and Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics Death Certificate Data
Notes: Map created using data from Starks, A., Sharkova, I., Leibenguth, S., & Huber, A. (2025). Community outcome & risk evaluation: Risk and protection profile for substance abuse prevention in Washington State. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Research and Data Analysis. https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/rda/riskprofiles/research-4.47-state.pdf

Child Outcome Goal

Mental Health

Youth
Adult Support when Depressed

Adult Support when Depressed
In the agency's efforts to improve and support the resilience of children, youth, and families in Washington, DCYF has set a goal that children and youth are supported by healthy relationships with adults. One way to measure this is by tracking the percentage of youth who report having support from adults when they are feeling sad or depressed. Youth who live with their parents/guardians are more likely to report having adult support when sad or depressed than youth who do not live with their parents/guardians.
10th Graders with Adult Support when Depressed, by Living Situation, 2023
10th Graders with Adult Support when Depressed, by Living Situation, 2023
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, & Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (2023). Healthy Youth Survey [2023]. https://askhys.net
Notes: "Does Not Live with Parents/Guardians" includes students who live with other relatives (kinship care), who are in foster care, or who have other living situations.

Child Outcome Goal

Mental Health

Youth
Foster Care and Mental Health

Foster Care and Mental Health
A DCYF strategic priority is to improve the quality and availability of provider services. As an outcome indicator, we are monitoring the needs and provided treatment of children and youth in foster care. Research shows that exposure to traumatic events and chronic stress — such as poverty, housing instability, family conflict, abuse and neglect, and exposure to caregivers’ mental illness or substance use disorder — contribute to the greater behavioral health needs of children and youth experiencing out-of-home care.
READ THE REPORT FROM THE RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
Needs and Treatment of Children and Youth in Foster Care, SFY 2014-2021
Needs and Treatment of Children and Youth in Foster Care, SFY 2014-2021
Source: Iverson, A., Pavelle, B. Lucenko, B. & Felver, B. (2023). "Behavioral Health Treatment Needs and Outcomes among Medicaid-Enrolled Children in Washington State." Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Research and Data Analysis.
Notes: Total in out-of-home care includes all children and youth age 0-17 ever in out-of-home care, for any length of time, during the state fiscal year. Mental health treatment need includes any mental health diagnosis, prescription, or service recorded in state administrative data in the past 24 months. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment need includes one or more substance-related diagnosis, procedure, prescription, treatment, or arrest in the past 24 months. Treatment need indicators that are not captured by state administrative data, including privately paid or insured services, are not included. SUD is not measured for children under age 12.

Child Welfare

Mental Health

Strategic Priority Outcome
Juvenile Rehabilitation and Mental Health

Juvenile Rehabilitation and Mental Health
Please visit DCYF's Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability’s (OIAA) Juvenile Rehabilitation Agency Performance Dashboard for reporting on mental health need and parole.
READ THE REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE, INTENSIVE PAROLE SERVICES FOR HIGH-RISK JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Juvenile Rehabilitation

Mental Health

Strategic Priority Outcome

Youth
Youth Depression

Youth Depression
The Healthy Youth Survey asks youth whether, over the past year, they ever felt so sad or hopeless, almost every day for two weeks or more in a row, that they stopped doing some of their usual activities. Results show that youth who live with their parents/guardians are less likely to report having been depressed than youth not living with their parents/guardians.
10th Graders Reporting Depression, by Living Situation, 2023
10th Graders Reporting Depression, by Living Situation, 2023
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, & Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (2023). Healthy Youth Survey [2023]. https://askhys.net
Notes: "Does Not Live with Parents/Guardians" includes students who live with other relatives (kinship care), who are in foster care, or who have other living situations.

Child Outcome Goal

Child Welfare

Mental Health

Youth

Mental Health

Youth Suicide Rates

Rate of Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 2013-2023

Suicide and Suicide Attempts per 100,000 Adolescents Age 10-17, 5 Year Rate, 2019-2023

Adult Support when Depressed

10th Graders with Adult Support when Depressed, by Living Situation, 2023

Foster Care and Mental Health

Needs and Treatment of Children and Youth in Foster Care, SFY 2014-2021

Juvenile Rehabilitation and Mental Health

Youth Depression

10th Graders Reporting Depression, by Living Situation, 2023

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