Suicide is the leading cause of death among Utahns ages 10 to 24, and Utah’s suicide rate has been consistently above the national rate for more than a decade.

As mental-health services become more prevalent, a new report examines the effectiveness of the Parents Anonymous Parent and Youth Helpline. Study co-author Dr. Elizabeth Harris, a faculty associate at Arizona State University, said data show the helpline makes a measurable difference for callers.

“We have established very clearly that people who call that helpline do end the call feeling more solution-oriented, feeling more positive than they started out,” Harris said. “And it's a 30-minute intervention.”

The Utah Department of Health’s Violence and Injury Prevention Program encourages young people to talk through their feelings with friends and trusted adults.

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The study finds that having counselors with master’s degrees answer the phone is beneficial. The counselors are trained in what’s called connective labor: creating a unique spark that happens when humans see, hear and recognize each other authentically.

Rural counties, particularly in parts of central and eastern Utah, experience significantly higher suicide rates than urban areas. Harris said experts on the helpline take special care to ensure their referrals are well-vetted.

“So a huge amount of infrastructure work has to go into making sure that when people are referred to places, that they actually get help," Harris said, "because there is no faster way to leave people frustrated than just turning them in circles.”

The Design Research Society published the peer-reviewed study. The authors praise Parents Anonymous’ commitment to analyzing data from all calls to continuously improve the quality of service.

Utahns can reach the helpline at 855-427-2736 or visit nationalparentyouthhelpline.org.