Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Darren Soto are proud their bipartisan suicide prevention bill passed the House earlier today. Since 2001, the suicide rate in the United States has risen by a shocking 31%, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death in the nation, with an estimated 47,000 lives lost each year.
This problem has only been exacerbated throughout the pandemic as Americans grapple with the pressures of economic uncertainty, job loss and medical needs.
To help curb this growing problem, Bilirakis and Soto authored the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act which would create a voluntary grant program to assist emergency departments in developing protocols for identifying, assessing, and treating individuals at risk for suicide.
A companion bill has been filed by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Angus King. This proactive approach is vital because emergency departments are often the first, and sadly too often the only, point of contact within the healthcare system for those most at risk for suicide, such as those with severe mental health conditions or substance use disorders.
A 2016 study found that 11% of all emergency department patients exhibited suicidal ideation. However, only 3% of those patients were diagnosed by current screening tools. Additionally, statistics show that up to 70% of patients who leave the emergency department after a suicide attempt never attend their first outpatient follow-up appointment.
“These staggering statistics make it clear that we need improved methods for identifying and assessing the suicide risks of emergency department patients,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “As part of my long-term commitment to fixing our broken mental health care system, I want to be sure that we enhance the procedures surrounding the discharge of patients who have attempted suicide or exhibit suicidal ideation to maximize the likelihood that they obtain appropriate follow-up care. Our bill is the first step in making that happen. I appreciate the hard work of the Emergency Nurses Association on this important patient care issue and their support for this legislation. I urge my Senate colleagues to expedite its passage so it can become law during this Mental Health Awareness Month.”
“The mental health crisis has exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Darren Soto. “I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide emergency departments with the funds they need to better assess and treat patients at higher risk of suicide. We must support our mental health care system and make sure individuals receive the care they need.”
Far too many Americans have been devastated by the loss of a family member or friend to suicide. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we know the mental health issues plaguing our society have increased – and the fear is that they will continue to worsen in the future. Through it all, emergency departments stand in a unique position to identify and help millions of patients at risk for suicide each year,” said ENA President Ron Kraus, MSN, RN, EMT, CEN, ACNS-BC, TCRN. “This important legislation will enhance the capabilities of emergency departments to effectively screen and care for these high-risk patients. We would like to thank Representatives Bilirakis and Soto and Senators Murkowski and King for recognizing the urgent need to address this growing national crisis and their leadership on this issue.”
This legislation is one of three Bilirakis-authored bills to pass the House today, and the fourth Bilirakis bill to pass the House this Congress.
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