The Jake Collective, a nonprofit organization established in memory of Jacob Schreiber, a 19-year-old who died by suicide in 2024, has launched a five-year, $5 million research initiative in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to address the mental health needs of neurodivergent children and adolescents. The initiative aims to fill critical gaps in understanding and supporting youth with conditions such as autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dyslexia.

Jacob Schreiber, who was diagnosed with ADHD, was known for his creativity, empathy, and curiosity. His family says his death has prompted them to seek answers about the unique mental health challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals. “He was always searching for answers,” said his mother, Lori Schreiber, referring to the questions her son wrestled with about feeling different from his siblings and peers.

Neurodivergence broadly describes variations in cognitive processing and learning, including autism and ADHD. Studies have shown that children with these diagnoses are generally at higher risk of experiencing depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared with neurotypical youth. Despite this, experts agree there is limited evidence-based guidance on effective interventions tailored to neurodivergent populations, and even less information is routinely shared with parents, pediatricians, and community mental health providers.

“Suicide in the autism population is a serious concern, but we know so little,” said Dr. Paul Lipkin, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, who is collaborating on the project. The initiative has begun assembling panels of psychiatrists, pediatricians, neurobiologists, and researchers, alongside individuals with lived experience, to develop a deeper understanding of these issues.

The first anticipated output, expected by year-end, will be a comprehensive review highlighting current research findings and identifying major unanswered questions. Subsequent phases will fund new research and produce educational materials for parents, teachers, and clinicians, said Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, chief medical officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Jessica Schwartzman, director of the Training and Research to Empower NeuroDiversity Lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, welcomed the project as a crucial step to bridging the gap between research and practice. She noted that essential questions remain unanswered, including how signs of mental health crises may present differently in neurodivergent youth, which therapies prove most effective, and how providers can better understand and meet these patients’ unique needs.

Families affected by similar tragedies have expressed cautious optimism. Samara Tricarico, co-founder of the Endurant Movement, which supports neurodivergent youth and lost her autistic son Anthony to suicide in 2024, said the initiative is addressing a critical void in mental health care. “He was autistic. He was loved. And we still didn’t have what we needed to reach him in time,” she said.

Similarly, Samia McCall, whose 14-year-old daughter Maisa died by suicide in 2024, emphasized the importance of creating supportive environments that recognize and accommodate neurodiverse individuals rather than expecting them to conform. “We need to adjust environments, and we need to teach kids early in life how their unique brains work, how to advocate for themselves, and how to accommodate and support their own nervous systems,” McCall said. She called for training adults to better understand neurodiversity, comparing such accommodations to ramps and elevators that facilitate access for all.

The collaboration between Jake Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention represents an effort to develop data-driven approaches and community resources aimed at reducing mental health risks and suicide rates among neurodivergent children and adolescents.