State of Jackson: Sarah Cavallero and Dr. Kent Corso explain how we can all prevent youth suicide

Before pretty much every kid had a smartphone, Sarah Cavallero saw upset teens yelling or throwing things across the room at Teton Youth and Family Services. Now instead of acting out, she sees kids turning their suffering inward: self-harming, and suicidal as young as 9 years old. Dr. Corso, a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst, has been working with Cavallero on suicide prevention for four years. The founder of ProsperTogether.net, Corso says social media has fundamentally changed youth brain development, but we can’t treat technology as all bad. The more we talk directly about suicide, he says, the more it makes it safe for people in crisis to speak up. “This is a safety issue,” he says, “just like we talk to our kids about fire safety or safe touches.” Cavallero and Corso have joined forces leading the 2025 Youth Mental Health Summit from May 14-16. The three-day event is free for kids under 18 and tickets for adults are available online.  KHOL is a sponsor of the summit.