News and Media

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), Albuquerque City Councilors Brook Bassan and Klarissa Peña, representatives from Albuquerque Public Schools, the New Mexico State Police, the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, and the Albuquerque Police Department—together with local firearm retailers and training organizations—today launched “Project ChildSafe® Albuquerque” city-wide to help prevent firearm accidents and aid in suicide prevention efforts.

The past 18 months have been challenging for kids and teens. News outlets report a “pandemic within a pandemic” to describe surging youth mental health crises. Several factors contribute to this trend—from anxiety about the pandemic, to isolation, to stressful family dynamics.  

This disturbing uptick doesn’t begin or end with the COVID-19 pandemic. A CDC report released in September 2020 announced the rate of suicide among ages 10 to 24 increased nearly 60 percent between 2007 and 2018.  

The overlooked message is youth suicide is preventable, and parents have an important role to play.  

NEWTOWN, Conn., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), in partnership with mental health experts from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and George Washington University, today released a recorded webinar video to help parents of teens recognize signs that their children may be facing mental health challenges—and share resources on how to talk to kids about mental health, make homes safer for those who may be at risk and help reduce the risk of suicide among teens.