The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued draft recommendations on screening for anxiety in children and adolescents. Given the increasing rates of suicide and mental health issues among U.S. youth, we at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are concerned with the USPSTF’s finding of insufficient evidence for implementing screening for suicide risk among youth, which is misaligned with recent expert recommendations. The USPSTF findings may cast doubt among healthcare providers on the importance of suicide screening and preventive care.

For this reason, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with our partner organization on the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and experts from The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), have issued a statement urging the Task Force to review the evidence further and consider aligning with Bright Futures and the AAP Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention in recommending routine suicide screening starting at age 12.