SD Children Feel Despair and Desperation

Published:
May 30, 2023

"Children should be full of dreams and possibilities, yet many feel despair and desperation. Recent data show a 40 percent increase in youth suicide rates during the past decade. Death by suicide is the leading cause of death for ages 4-35.

Four South Dakota counties (Oglala, Buffalo, Todd, Corson) have the highest 1 percent of suicide rates in the United States. Today, 21.5 percent of South Dakota high school students considered suicide and 11.9 percent of our high school students have attempted suicide.

As a legislator, I am doing what I can to address the crisis."

-State Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, R-Sioux Falls, represents District 14. Rehfeldt is the assistant majority leader and vice-chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee.

 

Read the full article by the South Dakota Standard by clicking here


 

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