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Teen suicides spike at Montana Indian reservation
By Staff Writer
 A recent article published by Fox News highlighted the high rates of suicide among Indian youth. According to the source, five out of the 160 high school students on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana killed themselves during the previous school year and 20 middle school children also attempted to do so. Fox reported that the reservation's high school has already seen two more self-inflicted deaths in 2011. Leaders from the Sioux and Assiniboine tribes appealed for counseling assistance from the U.S. Public Health Service early last summer, but the suicide trend has not yet subsided, the news source noted. "We're at a loss," spiritual guide Larry Wetsit told reporters. A survey of high school students conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 15 percent of respondents from around the country had considered suicide, 11 percent planned an attempt on their life and 7 percent carried out an unsuccessful effort. Parents who believe that their children suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts may consider enrolling them in boarding schools for troubled youth. These educational programs may also be able to provide support and treatment.
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