Changes recommended after youths die from overdose, suicide

The Child Death Review Committee has recommended improvements to drug abuse education and mental health services after the death of two youths in August and September 2015.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Justice and Public Safety released the recommendations Friday.

While the department will not say where the deaths occurred, one involved a drug overdose. The other was a suicide.

The review committee said drugabuse education should be looked at to determine if it's effective in teaching youth how to recognize overdose symptoms and what to do in response.

It recommended that the department of Education and Early Childhood Development work with student councils to provide information on helping someone who has symptoms of an overdose,

Better mental health services needed

A second review committee looked into a suicide inthe Labrador Grenfell Health region.

It recommended that the health authority set up a community treatment team for youth with serious mental health problems.

It also recommended that meetings be set up with Innuhealth and social services to review services to youth at risk.

Both reports have been sent to Child and Youth AdvocateCarol Chafe.