REDUCE YOUTH SUICIDES INVOLVING PRESCRIPTION OR OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS PARTNER ON PROJECT TO REDUCE YOUTH SUICIDES INVOLVING PRESCRIPTION OR OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS

According to the Florida Department of Children and Families Baker Act data dashboard, more than 500 youth in Collier County were placed under the Baker Act following suicide attempts in the last fiscal year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025), with a significant proportion of those attempted suicides involving prescription or over-the-counter medications.

In an effort to combat this alarming trend, the Naples Children Foundation (NCF) has partnered with the Florida Department of Health in Collier County, David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County Public Schools and Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) to provide medication lockboxes to parents or other caregivers of youth who are placed under the Baker Act following suicide attempts involving prescription or over-the-counter medications.

The Baker Act refers to the involuntary, emergency detention of an individual in Florida for up to 72 hours for mental health evaluation, initiated when someone poses a severe threat to themselves or others, cannot care for themselves or cannot determine their own need for treatment. It is a legally mandated intervention, part of the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971.

In Collier County, youth experiencing a mental health crisis are primarily transported to DLC and NCH. Upon their discharge, families will now receive a lockbox to safely store medications at home. Each lockbox features a decal linking directly to the Collier CARES Emergency & Hotlines resource page, ensuring families have immediate access to critical support information.

“This project is modeled after proven prevention strategies that promote not only safe medication storage but also proper disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications,” said Maria Jimenez-Lara, NCF Chief Executive Officer. “These are recognized as two of the most effective ways to prevent accidental poisoning, overdose, medication misuse and youth drug addiction.”

The medication lockbox initiative reflects a proactive, community-wide response to youth mental health challenges, prioritizing prevention and safety through coordinated care and education.

The project was developed by a Youth Mental Health Workgroup after reviewing local data and identifying medication access as a leading contributor to Baker Act cases among children and adolescents. The effort aims to reduce access to potentially harmful substances during periods of vulnerability and support families in creating safer home environments.

“By putting a simple lockbox in a family’s hands at the moment they need it most, we’re reducing access to medications during a vulnerable time and adding one more layer of protection for our kids,” said Nancy Dauphinais, DLC Chief Operating Officer. “This is what community partnership looks like, turning data into action and prevention into something practical families can use right away.”

Once the project is fully implemented, the partners will continue to evaluate its impact and explore additional opportunities to expand access to medication safety resources across the community.

About Naples Children Foundation
The Naples Children Foundation (NCF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 385,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed. Through bold investments, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven solutions, NCF supports programs that ensure every child can thrive. NCF’s unique approach, which bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community–one issue at a time.