Teen Mental Health Supported By Howell Golf Classic Fundraiser

HOWELL, NJ — Treating the youth mental health crisis has never been more important, according to the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS), and raising funds for education and training is needed more than ever, the organization says.

The society's biggest fundraiser of the year to support mental health initiatives is on Monday, June 19, at the Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club, and tickets are still available for the reception. The country club is at 20 Shore Oaks Drive, Farmingdale.

The society is based in Freehold. People in need of mental health help for themselves or their families can look for resources on the organization's website https://sptsusa.org/.

The latest CDC numbers are "going in the wrong direction," the society says.

The organization has been providing education and awareness related to youth suicide prevention for nearly 20 years and has "never seen the field of mental health in such turmoil," its leaders say.

“Kids are struggling at extreme rates and families do not know where to turn,” said Clinical Director Susan Tellone.

Here are some statistics:

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 14 years.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those 15 to 24 years.

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control released the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

The CDC released a report showing 57 percent of high school girls and 70 percent of LGBTQ+ students felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021.

More results conclude:

• 29 percent of high school students report experiencing poor mental health and 10 percent report making a suicide attempt.
• 30 percent of girls reported seriously considered attempting suicide, a nearly 60-percent increase from a decade ago.
• The U.S. suicide rate among 15- to 24-year-olds grew by 7 percent.

The annual Golf & Tennis Classic is the organization's primary fundraiser, said Executive Director Dawn Doherty.

“SPTS firmly believes that accessible, quality education and public awareness about teen suicide can save young lives. Through the generosity of our golf and tennis participants and sponsors, critical suicide prevention tools and resources are made available.”

SPTS was founded in 2005 by two friends who lost teen children to suicide.

The organization’s mission of awareness and saving lives has become more important than ever, as the prevalence of teen suicide in the post-pandemic era has skyrocketed, Doherty said.

“I have learned from the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide that youth and teens here in Monmouth County and nationwide are struggling when it comes to mental health,” said Richard Gubitosi, SPTS Board member and chairperson of this year’s SPTS Golf & Tennis Classic.

“The fallout of the pandemic stemming from the isolation and loss experienced by youth and teens has taken a critical toll. The work of SPTS and everything that can be done to increase awareness, education and resources for parents and their children is more crucial than ever,” he said.

The Golf & Tennis Classic begins at 8 a.m. with 228 golfers in a step-aside golf scramble, along with a tennis round-robin competition.

More than 400 guests will attend the dinner reception where School of Rock, Red Bank, will be performing during the cocktail hour. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corp, the U.S Naval Weapons Station Earle Division, will open the dinner with the presentation of flags.

There will be opportunities to bid on items and opportunities through a silent and live auction. Sponsors for the annual event are The Allied Group; Coastal Title; Koretsky Family Foundation and Florian J Lombardi Foundation.

There is still room to attend the reception and donations are also always welcome. Go to https://one.bidpal.net/sptsusa/welcome to sign up.

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide is dedicated to increasing awareness, saving lives and reducing the stigma of suicide through specialized training programs and mental health resources that empower students, parents, school staff, and communities with the skills needed to help youth build lives of resiliency, the organization says.

The organization reminds the public that if you or a loved one is thinking about suicide, call or text 988 for help, 24 hours a day.