Behavioral Health
Why Is This Important?
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood, and is equally important to maintaining overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States; more than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness, and over 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
Poor mental health puts someone at risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Conversely, chronic conditions can increase the risk of mental illness.
Strategies and Leads
| Strategies | Leads |
| Expand access to and use of treatment and community support programs for all residents with a unique focus on those involved in the criminal justice system. | COAT (Criminal Justice and Treatment and Recovery Branch) |
| Support healthcare providers (including medical, dental, veterinary, and others) with education about the nature of addiction and with information about how providers can collaborate with other medical, behavioral, and peer support resources in our community to ensure patients have the comprehensive services they need for recovery. | COAT (Prescription Branch) |
| Identify Q+-affirming medical, behavioral, and mental health providers through the creation of a publicly available LGBTQ+ Provider Directory. | LGBTQ+ Health Alliance |
Why Is This Important?
With the reports of the overall prevalence of drug use in many communities increasing, it seems as if substance abuse is becoming a national norm. Often teens and young adults who participate in “harmless” experimentation, transition into an addiction with serious social, health, and illegal consequences. Education can help guide young people to make fully informed decisions.
Suicide is a complex behavior that can be influenced by many different factors. High school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are much more likely to think about suicide than those who identify as heterosexual. Suicide is preventable, but it requires a comprehensive approach involving both the family and the community to reduce risks and strengthen protective factors.
Strategies and Leads
| Strategies | Leads |
| Raise public awareness and knowledge of the health risks associated with illicit marijuana use, alcohol use, and non-prescription opioid use. | COAT (Education & Information Branch), MCPC Subcommittees (Opioid & Cannabis and Alcohol) |
| Reduce youth access to marijuana, alcohol, and non-prescription opioids. | MCPC Subcommittees (Opioid & Cannabis and Alcohol), MCPC Retailers Care Work Group |
| Address policies and practices to prevent youth use of marijuana, alcohol, and non-prescription opioids. | MCPC Subcommittees (Opioid & Cannabis and Alcohol), MCPC Policy & Advocacy Subcommittee |
| Convene the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) and Suicide Fatality Review (SFR) committees to review overdoses and suicides and develop actionable recommendations to prevent overdose deaths and suicides. | OFR/SFR Committees |
| Initiate, improve, and expand suicide prevention services within Federally Qualified Health Centers, Behavioral Health Organizations, Emergency Departments, and VA outpatient clinics focusing on adults 25 and older. | ADAMHS (Zero Suicide Project) |
| Provide information to youth or individuals that can impact youth with the intent to prevent mental illness and suicide to include a purposeful focus on LGBTQ+ youth. | MCPC Subcommittees (Suicide Prevention, Self-Care, Power-Based Violence); LGBTQ+ Health Alliance |
| Provide training for professionals and family members to implement effective mental health promotion and mental illness prevention strategies within their schools and communities. | MCPC Subcommittees (Suicide Prevention, Gambling Prevention, Self-Care, Power-Based Violence) |
| Develop/revise policies for school districts designed to prevent suicide deaths. | MCPC Suicide Prevention Subcommittee |
| Educate professionals, community members, and families on topics that contribute towards health disparities and negatively affect the overall well-being of individuals in the Q+ community. | LGBTQ+ Health Alliance; MCPC Power-Based Subcommittee |
Why Is This Important?
Drug overdoses have increased over the last two decades. In the United States, overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death with over 932,000 lives lost to a drug overdose over the past 21 years. Overdoses impact all ages, sexes, genders, and races. The impact on families, communities, workplaces, and the economy is insurmountable.
Strategies and Leads
| Strategies | Lead |
| Decrease the supply of illicit and illegal substances available for misuse and abuse. | COAT (Drug Supply and Control Branch) |
| Increase the capacity of harm reduction programming to provide overdose prevention and engage clients in support services. | COAT (Harm Reduction Branch) |
| Coordinate Quick Response Team efforts and ensure there is an emergency plan for a significant cluster of overdoses. | COAT (Response Branch) |
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