CDC Reports U.S. Suicide Rate Fell Before Covid-19 Global Pandemic
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week reported that after increasing for 13 years, the U.S. suicide rate dropped overall by 2% between 2018 and 2019, but it cautioned those figures do not account for the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact.
A total of 47,511 deaths were attributed to suicide in 2019, with half involving guns, although that rate also fell, the Atlanta-based agency said. Suicide rates declined by 3.2% for women and 1.8% for men. Meanwhile, the decrease varied by state and race, falling overall in Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Virginia—and only among white people.
People aged 85 and older had the highest suicide rate of any age group, and levels appeared lowest in large, central metropolitan areas.
“As the United States continues to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and its long-term impacts on isolation, stress, economic insecurity, and worsening mental health and wellness, prevention is more important than ever,” the CDC’s
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report noted. “Past research indicates that suicide rates remain stable or decline during infrastructure disruption (e.g., natural disasters), only to rise afterwards as the longer-term sequalae unfold in persons, families, and communities.”
‘Unified Vision’ to Address Mental Health and SUD Gains Support from 35 More Organizations
Thirty-five additional organizations have offered their support to the Unified Vision, a seven-pillar roadmap to address the future of mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) in America that a coalition of mental health and SUD organizations announced in December.
NABH is part of that coalition, which developed the Unified Vision to provide action items meant to encourage and establish policy, programs, and standards that prioritize mental health and substance use care. The Unified Vision also addresses the social and economic conditions that disproportionately affect people of color and people whose income levels are below the federal poverty level.
Organizations that joined recently include the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, National Association of School Nurses, and Trust for America’s Health.
“An early priority is to break down the silos that currently exist in the mental health and substance use care space, which are all too often barriers to systemic change,” Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said in an
announcement this week about the new signatories. “Our leadership team and recent signatories collectively represent close to 40 independent organizations, willing to work together on one of the direst issues of our time.”
NABH, National Council and NASMHPD Urge CDC to Include Persons with SMI and SUD in Phase 1c Vaccination Groups
NABH, the National Council, and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) have urged the CDC to include individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and SUD in the agency’s Phase 1c vaccination groups for Covid-19 due to the high mortality rates among these patients from the coronavirus.
In a
letter to CDC Acting Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., the three organizations assert that by excluding individuals with serious behavioral health conditions from Phase 1c prioritizations, these persons face increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19. CDC should also take immediate steps to distribute available vaccines directly to outpatient and inpatient behavioral health providers, the letter noted.
The three groups outlined some action steps, such as urging the CDC to partner with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to allocate directly a limited supply of Covid-19 vaccine to select community mental health centers and community behavioral health organizations and inpatient psychiatric hospitals, as well as outpatient and residential treatment providers.
NABH Signs MHLG Coalition Letter to Support the TREAT Act
As a member of the Mental Health Liaison Group, NABH this week signed a
letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and House Energy & Commerce Committees supporting the recently introduced
Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act (
TREAT).
The legislation from Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Reps. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) would increase access to healthcare services during the Covid-19 public health emergency by allowing practitioners with licenses to provide services—including telehealth services—in all states for the duration of the public health emergency.
“The
TREAT Act aims to increase access to crucial health services during this time by temporarily permitting health professionals to practice across state lines,” the letter noted. “The bill stipulates that a provider who holds a valid license in any state (and is not barred in another state) can practice in accordance with applicable state law in every state during the national public health emergency and during a 180-day transition period after the declaration is lifted,” it added.
Children’s Healthcare Groups Launch Youth Mental Health Awareness Campaign
The Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this week urged Congress and the Biden administration to prioritize children’s mental, emotional, and behavioral health in proposals that address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a joint announcement, the two organizations emphasized that the pandemic has exacerbated a disturbing trend, as hospital admissions and emergency room visits for suicide attempts doubled at children’s hospitals between 2008 and 2015. Hospitalizations at U.S. children’s hospitals increased last summer amid the pandemic, which included a 20% increase in suicide attempts and more than 40% in disruptive behavior disorders.
“Almost a year into the pandemic, what began as a public health emergency is turning in a mental health crisis among our nation’s children and adolescents,” Dr. Lee Beers, president of the AAP, said in a news
release. “The duration of the pandemic, isolation from friends and family, effects of parental stress and economic hardship, and loss of loved ones are all taking their toll on children’s mental health,” he added. “Now is the time for us to step up and invest in a broad-scale, comprehensive approach to prevention, early intervention, and treatment.”
Register to Attend the 2021 Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit
The annual Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit, known as the largest annual conference that addresses America’s opioid and addiction crises, will be held virtually this year from April 5-8.
The conference will present more than 75 sessions across nine educational tracks and will cover topics ranging from prevention and treatment to public safety and technology.
For additional information, download the conference
brochure, and click
here to register.
Register to Attend the 6th Annual Population Health Payer Innovations for Medicaid, Medicare & Duals
The 6
th Annual Population Health Payer Innovations for Medicaid, Medicare & Duals will host its conference virtually this year from May 18-19.
Free for hospitals, the conference will address topics such as combatting the opioid crisis, using community paramedics, and partnering clinical and analytic teams to explore value-based insurance design (VBID) models of care. Health plans that focus on Medicaid, Medicare, and dual-eligible beneficiaries, along with providers, will share best practices and how to build and manage population health programs to ensure compliance, improve outcomes, and control costs.
Click
here to learn more and to register.
Save the Date: NABH 2021 Annual Meeting
NABH will host its 2021 Annual Meeting from Wednesday, Oct. 6 – Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC.
The association re-scheduled for this later date in 2021 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We hope you can join us!
After 2021, NABH will host its subsequent Annual Meetings in June. Please save the date for these future NABH Annual Meetings:
We look forward to seeing you again in Washington!
Fact of the Week
Non-prescribed fentanyl and methamphetamine increased 78% and 29%, respectively, according to a new
study from Millennium Health.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond