AUGUSTA (AP) – Youth suicide is a preventable public health problem that can be addressed through a number of strategies to improve access to services and increase understanding of the issue.

A Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program report concludes that up to 90 percent of youth suicide victims suffer from mental illness. But victims often stop short of seeking treatment because of the stigma associated with mental illness.

The report, released Thursday at a news conference, contains 10 strategies that aim to reduce suicidal behavior among Maine youth between 10 and 24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between 15 and 24.

An average of 170 people, including 23 young people, commit suicide each year in Maine, said Gov. John Baldacci.

Grace Eaton of Farmington lost her 17-year-old son to suicide in 1997. Since then, she has learned all she can about youth suicide and worked on the Maine youth Suicide Prevention Program.

“I never imagined I would be working on suicide prevention because I was certain it would never happen to me,” she said at the press conference.

The report concluded that it is myth that talking about suicide causes more suicides. Rather, the report found that people’s unwillingness to talk about suicide can hide warning signs that could help prevention efforts.

Suicide should be considered a health problem, like heart disease, which is caused by various factors, said Jack Nicholas, commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Youth suicides are also impulsive by nature and facilitated by easy access firearms and other lethal means, the report found.

“Because of this, removing access to lethal means is a very important strategy that can prevent an impulsive act of desperation ending in tragedy,” the report reads.

The report said a comprehensive approach is needed to reduced the incidents of youth suicide.

Among the strategies to attain the goals are to increase public awareness about suicide, develop strategies to reduce the stigma of mental illness, reduce access to lethal means and implement training to recognize at-risk behavior.