PORTLAND – First lady Karen Baldacci, who chairs the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, says a new study will be an important tool to help reduce Maine’s above-average youth-suicide rate.

The cabinet, which oversees and coordinates the delivery of child-related services in Maine, will meet Wednesday to review the 25-page report by the Governor’s Task Force on Teen Suicide Prevention.

“We’ll look at what are the unmet needs, what needs to change in terms of policy or funding or in the delivery of services,” Baldacci said.

The report, which has yet to be made public, focuses on raising public awareness of the problem, improving access to mental health services, and expanding school-based programs that teach students and staff about depression and suicidal behavior, said Cheryl DiCara, director of the Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program.

On average, 21 Mainers age 24 and younger kill themselves each year and hundreds more attempt suicide, a rate that exceeds that of New England and the nation.

From 1999 to 2003, there were 805 suicides in Maine, 106 of them people age 24 and under.

Despite the prevention program, which was created in 1997 and is held up as a national model, there has been no decline in the average number of Maine teen suicides annually.

More than 60 people from state and private agencies, community groups and schools have spent several months researching ways to improve and strengthen the program’s efforts.

“We have 21 young people kill themselves each year,” Baldacci said. “And that is 21 too many. We’ve got to look at what’s going on with our kids, where they need help, what stresses they’re facing.”

Gov. John Baldacci echoed his wife’s concerns.

“We’re looking to build and expand on the successful programs we’ve done and ramp it up, providing more guidance and outreach to communities,” he said. “Teen suicide is a serious issue that warrants the attention of state and local agencies and businesses. Everyone has to be part of the solution.”