Why we do it

There is a crisis in our midst. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young people in the United States, and a staggering number of young Americans aged 15 to 24 have serious mental health problems. Based on national survey data, we estimate that 3 million young Americans attempt suicide and more than 12 million experience depressive symptoms each year. Violence is also a pressing issue for young people in America. More than one-third of U.S. high school students were involved in physical fights in 2005¹

Most young people who experience tough times are unprepared and have limited support. Three-quarters of troubled youth do not seek help from a mental health professional - often because of societal stigma, cultural barriers, a mistrust of the system, and limited insurance coverage.

In 2006, Inspire engaged the nonprofit Bridgespan Group to assess the need for a program like Reach Out! Australia in the United States. Key findings of the study include:

• Young people are looking for help online: 75 percent of young people in the United States are comfortable accessing health information online, and 25 percent seek specific information on mental health.
• The Reach Out! platform is aligned with help-seeking preferences: young people want confidentiality and the ability to ask questions, hear different sides of an issue, find information easily, and learn from real experiences of their peers.
• There is no U.S. service comparable to Reach Out! Other health websites focus on general health or specific issues such as sex or drug use; none provides comprehensive mental health resources for all young people to help them navigate through tough times.
• Launching reachout.com in the United States, based on the successful Australian Reach Out! model, will provide invaluable new supports to youth and complement and strengthen community-based youth services.

Through reachout.com, Inspire USA aims to reach young people who may be going through tough times - as well as their friends who can be an important source of advice and support.

_{¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2008}