James Donaldson on Mental Health - Newsom signs suicide prevention law for boys, young men

Gavin Newsom signed a law Friday that aims to strengthen suicide prevention efforts for boys and young men.

Assembly Bill 1956 , introduced by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, directs the state Office of Suicide Prevention to focuses special attention on suicide prevention for boys and young men.

The office already focuses attention on other groups with high risk of suicide, including youth, Native American youth, older adults, veterans, and LGBTQ+ people.

“Too many boys and men are struggling in silence.

We have to meet young people where they are, break down the stigma around asking for help, and make sure they have the relationships, support, and opportunities they need to thrive,” Newsom said in a statement.

A March 2026 analysis by the California Department of Public Health found that men die by suicide at more than 3.5 times the rate of women, and boys ages 10-19 die by suicide at twice the rate of girls the same age.

Newsom last year issued an executive order to coordinate a statewide initiative to address boys and men’s mental health and loneliness.

The new law requires the Office of Suicide Prevention to report to the Legislature what it has done to help prevent suicide among boys and young men by July 1, 2028.