As a physician and a father of teenagers in Seminole County, I have spent the last several weeks thinking about the three high school students in our district who died by suicide within days of each other. The heartbreak felt by their families, classmates, teachers and neighbors is difficult to put into words. These losses are devastating. They are also urgent reminders that we need to take stronger, proactive action to support the mental health of our youth.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is now the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24. In Florida, the Department of Health reports that suicide among children ages 10 to 14 more than doubled between 2011 and 2020. Among teens ages 15 to 19, the rate rose more than 40 percent. These are not just statistics. They reflect real children in our own communities, facing pain they often hide behind silence.

We would never ignore the second-leading cause of cancer in children, nor delay treating a condition that had doubled in a decade. Yet when it comes to youth suicide, the response is often slow or uncertain. As parents, we do everything we can to protect our kids. We schedule vaccinations and checkups. We teach healthy habits. We enforce seatbelts, curfews and helmets. But when it comes to mental health, which can be just as life-threatening, we too often stay quiet or hope it resolves on its own.

In my role with Simply Healthcare Plans, I have seen how schools, health care providers and community organizations are working together to address youth mental health. I’ve watched many efforts supported, including helping to bring telehealth counseling into homes, expanding school-based services and investing in resilience training and mobile outreach. These are not just ideas, but actual solutions that are making a difference, but more families need to know about and take advantage of them.

This is where we all come in — parents, educators, health professionals, coaches and neighbors. We must treat mental health like we treat physical health. That means watching for warning signs, asking questions and creating space for honest conversation.

Signs of suicide can include withdrawal, mood swings, changes in sleep or eating, or talk of feeling hopeless or like a burden. These are not always dramatic. They can be quiet shifts, easily missed unless we are looking.

If you are worried about someone — a child, a student, a friend — you do not have to decide alone whether they are truly at risk. The professionals on the other end of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can help assess what is happening and guide your next steps. Many people hesitate, afraid they might overreact or say the wrong thing, but the greater risk is doing nothing. It is far better to speak up and be wrong than to stay silent and live with regret. You do not need to be an expert. You only need to care enough to act.

Teenagers, please hear this clearly: You are not alone. You are not a burden. Your life matters, and there are people who care, even if it feels like no one sees you. You may believe no one would notice if you were gone. I can tell you, as someone who has witnessed this pain up close, your absence would be felt. The recent suicides in Seminole County did not go unnoticed. They left schools reeling, families devastated and a community grieving. These losses are not quiet. They echo. Reaching out is not weakness. It is strength. It is a decision that can prevent irreversible pain and allow healing to begin.

We cannot look away from what is happening. When a public health issue takes young lives, we act. This one should be no different. Let us stop thinking of mental health as an afterthought. Let’s bring it into the open, where it belongs. Let’s protect our children not just from what we can see, but from what they may be carrying alone. This crisis is real, it is local, and it is preventable if we choose to act.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — free, confidential help is available 24/7. You are never alone.

Marc G. Kaprow is the Chief Medicaid Medical Director for Simply Healthcare Plans. He lives in Seminole County with his wife and two teenage children.