Bill Overview
Title: Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2022
Description: of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 multiple suicide prevention programs and related activities with a particular focus on youth and young adults. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes grants for statewide or tribal youth suicide prevention and early intervention strategies and for mental health and substance use disorder services for college students, and a suicide prevention resource center that provides training and other resources regarding suicide prevention among all ages.
Sponsors: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Target Audience
Population: People impacted by suicide prevention programs with focus on youth and young adults
Estimated Size: 120000000
- The programs focus on youth and young adults, which are typically defined as individuals aged 10-24.
- In addition to youth, the initiatives include mental health and substance use disorder services targeting college students specifically.
- The bill extends supports for a suicide prevention resource center that provides resources for people of all ages, potentially expanding the impacted population significantly beyond just youth.
- Globally, mental health and suicide prevention are recognized public health priorities, affecting diverse populations in various countries.
- It can be inferred that globally, the target is broader than just the youth but includes all age groups for the resource center component.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a broad population with a focus on youth and young adults, which consist of about 30% of the U.S. population. This consideration ensures the inclusion of high-impact individuals, such as students and young adults in crisis.
- The implementation budget spread over $35 million in the first year scales to cumulatively $379.5 million in 10 years, allowing for moderate reach per year but widespread cumulative impact over time.
- The policy aims for geographic, demographic, and psychographic diversity, with particular focus groups like college students receiving direct services and support.
- Given the potential user base, the policy will likely see varied levels of benefit among these groups, with direct beneficiaries experiencing high impact and more distant groups potentially seeing indirect benefits.
- Due to the policy's broad target demographic range, a mix of cases from adolescents to older adults with diverging pre-policy environmental scenarios will be useful for an analysis of average impacts.
Simulated Interviews
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will be particularly beneficial to students like me who feel isolated or stressed about academics.
- Access to mental health resources on campus isn't great currently, so additional funding will help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Senior (Austin, TX)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having more resources could really help teens who are struggling, especially when they feel no one around them understands.
- High school is already stressful with testing and college prep, and having extra support could lessen that load.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more awareness in schools about suicide prevention could help both students and teachers.
- If these programs include support hotlines, I think they could be a major source of help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Freelance Writer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 26 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I'm not in college anymore, maintaining resources for young adults is key for those like me in transition.
- The extension of these services to a broader age group including young professionals would be helpful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Elementary School Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is important for reaching young students and setting foundations early.
- As a teacher, having resources to appropriately guide students is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
HR Manager (Pittsburgh, PA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like these are essential for fostering broader dialogue about mental health at all ages.
- It's good for parents and work environments to back efforts that can decrease youth suicide.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Psychologist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a mental health professional, supporting resource centers is critical to advancing peer groups' knowledge and self-help.
- Additional funding can greatly enhance training programs that encourage preventive care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Middle School Student (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 14 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I really hope more talking in schools about suicide happens.
- Sometimes it feels like teachers don't know how to address it, and training could help them help us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
College Professor (Boston, MA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increasing funding and support for college-based mental health could directly improve the educational environment.
- Mental health in academia often gets overlooked, so this bill recognizes an urgent need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Social Worker (Denver, CO)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Continual extension of mental health resources is instrumental to community health.
- Funding could spark needed growth in supportive community environments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $35000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $36000000 (Low: $33000000, High: $41000000)
Year 3: $37000000 (Low: $34000000, High: $42000000)
Year 5: $38000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $43000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $37000000, High: $45000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $48000000, High: $55000000)
Key Considerations
- The suicide prevention programs target a crucial age group amidst rising mental health concerns.
- Evaluating the program's effectiveness requires monitoring youth and young adult suicide rates over time.
- Ensuring equitable access across diverse socio-economic groups is vital for the program's success.