273 - Effective Communication Strategies to Operationalize the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention

Publication Number: 3262.273

Sneha Watarkar, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States; Kristen Kaseeska, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States; Denise Smith Rodd, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States; Becca I. Reyes, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pleasant Prairie, WI, United States

Background: Suicide among youth and young adults remains a major public health crisis and a leading cause of death among individuals aged 10–24 in the United States. Communications best practices support messages that are simple, clear, and accurate so intended audiences can make informed decisions about their health. To address these factors, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) developed a national suicide prevention education and communications campaign for pediatricians, public health professionals, and families.

Objective: Evaluate a national suicide prevention education and communications campaign for pediatricians, public health professionals, and families influenced by a changing socio-political climate.

Design/Methods: A 2-year public health communications and education campaign was developed in 2024, with the aim to build capacity among primary care providers and community partnerships to integrate use of the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention in clinical and community settings. Five Youth Leadership Group (YLG) members (60% female, mean age 17) served as thought leaders and advisors. Resources included videos (n=2), articles (n=4), webinars (n=5) and clinical tools (n=5) and were disseminated via AAP media channels.

Results: Organic and paid social media posts reached a broader audience and included engagement compared to web page views from organic search alone across audience types. For example, the Identify Youth Suicide Risk in Three Steps pediatrician-facing video gained 1,449 views on the AAP YouTube channel and 9,843 impressions on LinkedIn from September 2024 through October 2025. The parent-facing article How a Suicide Prevention Safety Plan Can Save Your Child’s Life received 1,340 page views on HealthyChildren.org. In social media, the post promoting the article received, 116,994 views on Facebook, and 92,194 users on LinkedIn from September 2025 through October 2025. Content developed by YLG members generated 30,612 page views that reached 16,140 new users.

Conclusion(s): Evidence-based suicide prevention messaging from a trusted source can reach intended audiences through multiple media channels to maximize reach so that individuals can make informed decisions about their health. Flexible campaign models are needed to account for changes in socio-political climates.