Culture of Caring

Youth homelessness is a crisis that extends far beyond the absence of a roof. For many young people, losing stable housing also means losing the sense of safety, belonging, and support systems that protect against mental health struggles. The consequences can be devastating. Given the challenges they face, it’s not a surprise that youth experiencing homelessness are at significantly greater risk for suicidal ideation compared to their housed peers.

A Dangerous Intersection of Risks

Research consistently shows that unhoused youth face elevated rates of depression, trauma, and substance use—all of which are known risk factors for suicide. Unhoused young people are more likely to have histories of abuse, neglect, and family conflict, and they often struggle with untreated mental health disorders.

The instability of homelessness creates constant exposure to violence, hunger, and exploitation, further compounding the risk. Without safe and consistent environments, stressors can escalate quickly, and suicidal ideation can become a frequent response to overwhelming circumstances.

The Role of Social Networks

While homelessness often means disconnection from family, peers can serve as both a lifeline and a hazard. Youth experiencing homelessness often rely on peer networks for survival, but these networks sometimes normalize risky behaviors, including self-harm. Positive, supportive connections—whether from peers, mentors, or outreach workers—can be protective factors that reduce suicide risk.

Family support, when available, can dramatically change the trajectory. Youth who maintain even limited healthy family connections are more likely to access services and less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors.

Access to Mental Health Care

Despite high needs, access to care is inconsistent. Many homeless youth engage with emergency services or crisis lines only during acute crises, rather than receiving ongoing, preventative mental health care. Barriers include a lack of transportation, distrust of institutions, and previous negative experiences with service providers.

Some outreach programs are experimenting with innovative approaches—like using peer navigators and mobile mental health units—to meet youth where they are, both physically and emotionally.

Could AI be a New Prevention Strategy?

An emerging frontier in prevention involves technology. Researchers at USC’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society are using AI to map and understand the social networks of homeless youth. By identifying peer influencers who can spread mental health resources, programs can target suicide prevention messages in a way that feels authentic and community-driven.

The Need for Trauma-Informed, Youth-Centered Care

A systematic review of suicidality in homeless children and adolescents highlights that effective interventions must address both the psychological and the environmental drivers of risk. Trauma-informed care, housing stability, access to education, and youth-driven program design all play critical roles in long-term prevention.

Schools, shelters, and community programs must work together to:

• Identify at-risk youth early
• Create safe and welcoming spaces
• Build trust through consistent, nonjudgmental support
• Engage youth as partners in shaping services

Conclusion

Preventing suicide among homeless youth is not simply a mental health challenge—it’s a societal responsibility. Stable housing, strong social connections, and accessible, culturally responsive services are not luxuries; they are life-saving necessities. Every day we avoid taking action, we risk losing more young lives to a preventable tragedy.

Resources

• Know the Signs- Help for Homeless Youth Feeling Hopeless or Suicidal (PDF)
• Quick-Reference- Supporting Homeless Youth at Risk for Suicide (For Teachers, Counselors, and School Staff) (PDF)
• Supporting Homeless Youth at Risk for Suicide- A Guide for Educators (PDF)

1. Youth experiencing homelessness at risk for suicide: psychosocial risk factors and service use patterns – BMC Public Health
   https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-024-21212-2
2. Youth Experiencing Homelessness with Suicidal Ideation: Understanding Risk Associated with Peer and Family Social Networks – Prevention Science
   https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7572482/
3. Suicidality in homeless children and adolescents: A systematic review – Child Abuse & Neglect
   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S135917892100029X
4. Homeless/Foster Youth – Los Angeles County Office of Education
   https://preventsuicide.lacoe.edu/high-risk/homeless/
5. Suicide Prevention among Homeless Youth: Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Suicide Prevention within Social Networks of Youth Experiencing Homelessness – USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society
   https://www.cais.usc.edu/projects/suicide-prevention-among-homeless-youth/

A Culture of Caring: A Suicide Prevention Guide for Schools (K-12) was created as a resource for educators who want to know how to get started and what steps to take to create a suicide prevention plan that will work for their schools and districts. It is written from my perspective as a school principal and survivor of suicide loss, not an expert in psychology or counseling. I hope that any teacher, school counselor, psychologist, principal, or district administrator can pick up this book, flip to a chapter, and easily find helpful answers to the questions they are likely to have about what schools can do to prevent suicide.