September 24, 2020 By Tom Moran, Deputy Administrator for Regional Operations and Partnership Development
According
to a recent CDC report, over 40% of
U.S. adults report struggles with mental health or substance use. Nearly 11%
reported seriously considering suicide over the last 30 days. Those who report
that they are unpaid caregivers were more significantly more likely to have
mental health problems than non-caregivers. Although anyone can experience a
behavioral health condition, like depression, substance abuse, or suicidal
ideation, the data tells us that older adults and people with disabilities are
disproportionally impacted by these issues and are less likely to receive
treatment.
CDC
also reports that suicide rates among our nation’s youth have increased 56%
since 2007. It is the second leading cause of death amongst individuals age 15
– 24. Data shows that youth with disabilities are four times more likely to
think about suicide than their nondisabled peers.
The
good news is that there are many resources available that can lead to faster
diagnosis and treatment and help prevent social isolation, increased
disability, and other problems.
As
we observe Suicide Prevention Month in September, I can’t help but reflect on
the key role that the aging and disability networks in ensuring those we serve
maintain their mental health and stay socially connected. The value these
networks provide – their capacity to deliver personalized, impactful, and
cost-effective services that meet social determinants of health – is truly
unparalleled. And our partnerships with state and community behavioral health
providers remain critical for connecting folks with the specialized services
they may need to prevent and treat mental health and substance use disorders.
Below are some great examples of work across ACL to promote positive mental
health and prevent suicide.
The
national nutrition network has been hard at work ensuring folks get the
sustenance that they need, and have opportunities to stay connected to one
another and their communities. The Older American’s Act meal programs have
always provided benefits far beyond a meal – they are a gateway to other
resources, often connecting older adult to interventions before problems become
crises, they provide nutrition education, and they create opportunities for
socialization. And some of them are tackling suicide prevention directly. For
example, with funding from ACL, a team led by
researchers at Georgia State University provided the
14-hour evidence-based Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
to equip 160 volunteers who deliver meals to older adults at their
homes with skills to do a suicide intervention. These volunteers
performed more than 60 suicide interventions in just a few months before
services were interrupted due to Covid-19.
ACL
also continues to invest in both the development and the delivery of health
promotion and disease prevention programs. In this time of social distancing,
many of these programs have found creative and tech savvy ways to keep people
engaged remotely. The ACL National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education
Resource Center will be hosting a webinar on
September 28, 2020, from 2-3:30 pm ET, highlighting how community-based
organizations can deliver interventions to reduce mental stress and prevent
suicide during this critical time.
ACL
funds the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (MHDD) National Training
Center. The Center works to improve mental health services and supports for
people with developmental disabilities by serving as a national clearinghouse
that provides access to the most current evidence-based, trauma-informed,
culturally responsive practices that address the mental health needs of
individuals with developmental disabilities.
Our
Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Programs
recently partnered with Dr. Alec Thundercloud, Director of the SAMHSA Office of Tribal Affairs and
Policy. Dr. Thundercloud shared that in 2018, the suicide rate for
American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) populations (22.1 per 100,000) was much
higher than the overall U.S. suicide rate (14.2 per 100,000). Our Title VI
programs fulfill an important role in supporting the mental health of the AI/AN
elder population. They provide nutrition and supportive services that offer
critical social contact that can help reduce the risk of depression and
isolation experienced by many home-bound AI/AN Elders. In 2018, Title VI
grantees provided over 2.6 million home-delivered meals to more than 22,000
American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian elders. Title VI programs also
provided more than 400,000 home visits and over 350,000 units of telephone
support to their elders. This type of consistent, in-person support to elders
alleviates loneliness, social isolation and connects elders with the community.
ACL’s
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDILRR)’s portfolio in mental health, promotes protective factors
for people with a wide range of disabilities and impairments across populations
of all ages. As one example, research conducted on the impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
(ACT), on psychological distress among persons with Traumatic
Brain Injury. ACT is a psychotherapy, derived from Cognitive Behavior Therapy
(CBT), aimed at enhancing meaning in one’s life and changing behavior through
helping them accept their own thoughts and feelings without judgement, helping
them identify personal values, setting activity goals consistent with those
values, and committing to pursue personal values-based activities. Additional
research and programming utilizing evidence-based programs, such as the
Wellness Recovery Action Plan Program, are particularly important for
supporting those with serious mental illness, who are at increased risk of
suicide.
ACL
continues to invest in research, programs, and practices to support positive
mental health for older adults and persons with disabilities. I encourage you
to check out the resources below to learn more. I am extremely proud of what
our aging and disability networks are doing to join the fight.
Resources:
·
ACL’s Behavioral Health webpage
·
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities National Training Center
·
The National Suicide Prevention
Resource Center has recommendations for how AI/AN communities
can take action on suicide prevention
·
Indian Health Services
provides a number of resources for providers:
·
The Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit uses
evidence-based resources to support organizations implementing suicide
prevention programs in rural communities across the United States.
Last
modified on 09/24/2020
No comments:
Post a Comment