TheWeekInCongress_S2634

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending July 9, 2004

S2634 Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act

BRIEF

Congress finds that suicide by American youth is approaching epidemic proportions as they note that ‘More children and young adults die from suicide each year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined.’

More than 4,000 take their lives yearly making suicide the third cause of death between ages ten and 24, and the number represents 15 percent of all US suicides,

the findings state.

The incident of youth suicide growth is reflected in statistics from the Center for Disease Control:

From 1952 to 1995, the rate of suicide in children and young adults tripled.

From 1980 to 1997, the rate of suicide among young adults ages 15 to 19 increased 11 percent.

From 1980 to 1997, the rate of suicide among children ages 10 to 14 increased 109 percent.

‘According to the National Center of Health Statistics, suicide rates among Native Americans range from 1.5 to 3 times the national average for other groups, with young people ages 15 to 34 making up 64 percent of all suicides.’

‘In a recent report,’ the bill text explained, ‘a startling 85 percent of college counseling centers revealed an increase in the number of students they see with psychological problems. Furthermore, the American College Health Association found that 61 percent of college students reported feeling hopeless, 45 percent said they felt so depressed they could barely function, and 9 percent felt suicidal.’

There is clear evidence of an increased incidence of depression among college students. According to a survey described in the Chronicle of Higher Education (February 1, 2002), depression among freshmen has nearly doubled (from 8.2 percent to 16.3 percent). Without treatment, researchers recently noted that ``depressed adolescents are at risk for school failure, social isolation, promiscuity, self-medication with drugs and alcohol, and suicide--now the third leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds.''.

The bill aims to address the problem and a shortage of skilled counselors by amending the Public Health Service Act regarding provisions of Federal assistance for programs to reduce youth suicide.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, would be required to award grants or cooperative agreements to: ‘develop and implement State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations; and support public organizations actively involved in State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies and in the development and continuation of such intervention and prevention strategies Data collection and analysis on State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention services that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for research, technical assistance, and policy development; and the grants would assist eligible entities in achieving their targets for youth suicide reductions.

Grants to higher education institutions to expand mental health services to students are included in the bill.

Sponsor: Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (July 8, 2004)

Cost to the taxpayers: $3 million for 2004, $4 million for 2005 and $5 million for 2006.