Bill Overview
Title: Suicide Prevention Act
Description: This bill establishes two grant programs to prevent self-harm and suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must award grants to state, local, and tribal health departments to expand surveillance of self-harm, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must award grants to hospital emergency departments for programs to prevent suicide attempts among patients after discharge.
Sponsors: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals affected by suicide
Estimated Size: 1400000
- Suicide is a global issue affecting millions of people worldwide, with varying rates across different countries.
- According to World Health Organization (WHO), close to 700,000 people die due to suicide every year globally.
- Suicide attempts are estimated to be significantly higher than the number of suicides, with some estimates suggesting 20 attempts for every suicide death.
- Population groups such as adolescents, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and people with mental health disorders exhibit higher rates of suicide attempts and self-harm.
- The bill targets state, local, and tribal health departments in the U.S., specifically aiming to improve the surveillance of self-harm, which could potentially impact all residents in those regions.
- The focus on hospital emergency departments indicates a direct impact on individuals who have attempted suicide and are receiving emergency care.
Reasoning
- The Suicide Prevention Act affects a broad and diverse segment of the population, but the direct impact will be most significant on individuals who engage with emergency departments following self-harm incidents and those in high-risk demographic groups.
- Given the nature of the program, its impact will likely vary considerably across different demographics and regions, depending on the prevalence of suicide attempts and the effectiveness of existing mental health and emergency services.
- The budget of $300 million USD in the first year and $3.24 billion USD over 10 years is significant but will require targeted allocation to maximize its effectiveness across the U.S. population.
- Efforts are focused on improving surveillance systems for self-harm and implementing post-discharge support for individuals at risk, suggesting the policy will improve long-term data handling and immediate care responses.
- Considering the U.S. suicide attempt statistics, the policy should prioritize adolescents, veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals, who are disproportionately affected.
- The policy needs to be implemented while considering the scalability of programs across diverse regions, requiring adaptable strategies that fit local context.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having better support and tracking for people who self-harm is crucial.
- If hospitals can help people more immediately after they're in crisis, it's worth it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Veteran Affairs Officer (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Veterans often struggle with mental health support, so this kind of policy could save lives.
- I hope the grants can also benefit community programs that we work with.
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 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
College Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It feels like this might really change how we handle mental health crises on campus.
- I hope colleges will partner with local hospitals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Primary Care Physician (Rural Nebraska)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We desperately need more mental health resources in rural areas.
- Funding for clinics can prevent so much tragedy.
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 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Mental Health Advocate (New York, NY)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could help streamline data collection, which has been a barrier for effective interventions.
- I hope it encourages more collaborative efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Construction Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's good for hospitals to get more support.
- This wasn't available for my friend when they needed it.
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 | 7 | 6 |
Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Mental health is a huge issue for students now and future policies like this are needed.
- I hope schools work closely with these new programs.
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 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Boston, MA)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This kind of support might have made a difference for my family.
- I’m wary if the funds will be sufficient or well-used.
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 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Barista (Seattle, WA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having more resources for people after they leave the hospital is important.
- People often feel lost after they leave emergency care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Social Worker (Anchorage, AK)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Indigenous communities need these programs desperately.
- I hope the grants effectively reach our local tribal services.
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 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 2: $305000000 (Low: $255000000, High: $355000000)
Year 3: $310000000 (Low: $260000000, High: $360000000)
Year 5: $320000000 (Low: $270000000, High: $370000000)
Year 10: $350000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $400000000)
Year 100: $400000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $450000000)
Key Considerations
- Variability in the effectiveness of prevention programs may affect the actual impact and cost-efficiency.
- The broad scope of the bill involves many stakeholders, and coordination is crucial for effective implementation.
- Funding amounts for existing public health initiatives similar to those proposed in the bill.