Latest news with #NationalCenterforInjuryPreventionandControl
05-08-2025
- Health
CDC launches new national campaign to tackle mental health, substance use among teens
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new campaign on Tuesday aimed at tackling mental health and substance use among teens ahead of the upcoming school year. The federal campaign, entitled Free Mind, aims to provide teens and their parents or caregivers with "resources and information about substance use, mental health and the connection between the two." The efforts revolve around the messaging that "drugs and mental health don't mix" according to the landing page of the new campaign on the CDC's website. "When you deal with lots of emotions, you might be tempted to turn to drugs and alcohol or cope by misusing medications that are not prescribed to you," the website states. Substance use, however, can cause or worsen anxiety, sadness, anger and depression, according to the CDC. It can also affect a patient's memory or mood. The CDC describes that drug overdose crisis as "constantly evolving" and "an important public health issue." More than 80,000 Americans died from a drug overdose last year, according to CDC data. In the last four years, 75% of overdose deaths among pre-teens and teenagers ages 10 to 19 involved illegally made fentanyl. The number of teens reporting poor mental health has increased in the past decade, with 40% of high school students stopping regular activities because of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023. One in five students have seriously considered attempting suicide, according to the CDC. "Teens may use alcohol and other substances to help them cope with stress, anxiety, and depression," said Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in a press release. The agency said it spoke with adolescents. about their perceptions surrounding substance use in order to develop the messaging and branding for the new campaign. The initiative "seeks to resonate with this age group by addressing the connections between substance use and mental health, risk factors that contribute to drug use, and strategies to keep them safe," according to the CDC. Resources were also created for parents and caregivers around youth substance use and mental health challenges. "Talking openly about mental health and substance use, and knowing when to get professional help, is critical to helping teens stay healthy," Arwady said. "That's why this campaign supports youth, parents, and caregivers in having those conversations early, before an issue arises." If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide - free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wisconsin has seen progress in reducing overdose deaths. Trump's cuts could upend that.
A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reinforces earlier data showing an ongoing decline in overdose deaths nationwide, and repeats the contention that one of the main reasons for the progress is an approach called harm reduction. Despite these advances, the Trump administration has proposed eliminating federal grants for harm reduction efforts, a move that Wisconsin public health officials warn could stall gains made in drug overdose prevention. Those concerns were amplified by more than 320 behavioral medicine academic experts, who wrote to congressional leaders May 12 decrying the cuts to these life-saving overdose prevention services. In February 2025, the CDC released a promising report with provisional data showing that from October 2023 to September 2024, overdose deaths had dropped by more than 27,000. Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, called the nearly 24% decline unprecedented. The widespread distribution of naloxone, a key product of the federal harm reduction program, was a crucial factor in this milestone, the report found. Naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan, reverses life-threatening symptoms associated with opioid overdoses. Related: Wisconsin records significant drop in overdose deaths, although officials remain cautious Now, on May 14, the CDC has released a second provisional report showing an even more profound decline from that 12-month time period ― a nearly 27% drop in overdose deaths. The decline in overdose deaths has steadily continued from month to month, the report said. It strongly supported the idea that these strides can be attributed to public health interventions. Harm reduction makes up one of the four pillars of an overdose prevention strategy prioritized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after Trump declared a national emergency on the opioid epidemic in his first presidential term. The approach promotes getting critical health services to people regardless of whether they use drugs, including safe syringe programs, fentanyl and xylazine testing strips, and the distribution of naloxone or Narcan. "We accept that, for better or worse, people use drugs. We work to minimize risks and harm that come with drug use," said Dr. Julia Olsen, a supervisor at Public Health Madison & Dane County. "We don't condemn or judge people for their use. We try to meet them where they're at and make sure they can be as healthy, safe and well as they can be." In his second term, the Trump administration is walking back aspects of the overdose strategy his first administration spearheaded. In his discretionary budget to Congress shared on the White House website May, Trump has proposed removing harm reduction services from the equation, saying the Biden-Harris administration used the approach "to fund dangerous activities … which included funding 'safe smoking kits and supplies' and 'syringes' for drug users." Findings from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tell a different story. The health agency has written several reports suggesting that harm reduction efforts are a powerful public health approach, not only when it comes to mitigating overdoses, but removing stigmas and making safer choices, even when using illicit drugs. "Of course, we want to prevent these overdoses from happening, but at the same time, we have to recognize that we have a problem on our hands right now, in Milwaukee County, in Wisconsin, in the United States," said Dr. Ben Weston, chief health policy advisor for Milwaukee County. "We need to address that to save lives, and that's where harm reduction comes in." Milwaukee County has used harm reduction as part of its overdose prevention strategy for years. The county won $101 million from opioid settlement funds in two settlement agreements, one in 2021 and the other in 2023, with companies that supplied opioids. The County Board allocated $11 million to install 11 new vending machines at specific locations — a health center, a concert venue, a social service agency and more — and packing them with free supplies like Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, and medication lock bags. Related: Milwaukee County received a record $101 million opioid settlement. How will it spend the money? Related: County exec David Crowley steers part of massive opioid settlement to treatment, prevention Harm reduction efforts also break down barriers, Weston said. They can then be a stepping stone for medication-assisted treatment like buprenorphine and methadone, Weston said, drugs that block the opioid receptors in the brain while reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. "Giving buprenorphine not just in a specialized clinic, where you have to wait several weeks to get in, but right there at the time of the 911 call, or whether they're on the street or under a bridge, in their living room, wherever, harm reduction is key to getting them those treatments," Weston said. While the harm reduction movement has been around for decades, notably during the HIV-AIDS epidemic, it wasn't until the Biden-Harris administration that it transformed from a fringe grassroots philosophy to a federal drug policy. 2022 marked the first year that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, awarded 25 harm reduction grants to agencies across the country. In October 2023, Wisconsin Department of Health Services received nearly $28 million in substance use block grants, which included harm reduction efforts. In turn, vending machines stocked with free naloxone nasal spray, fentanyl strips and medication lock bags started cropping up on busy streets, in schools, health care clinics and libraries, and in sheriff's departments. In 2024, Milwaukee County saw its most dramatic drop in drug overdose deaths since 2018, a decline of nearly 28% from a year earlier. "Harm reduction is saving lives, which is critical," Weston said. Related: As DOGE slashes funding source, Wisconsin behavioral treatment centers worry about programs Related: Milwaukee County unveils new overdose dashboard, ushering new hopes of driving down deaths Olsen, in Dane County, said that while it's difficult to prove causation, the county's received fewer non-fatal overdose calls to emergency medical services (EMS) since the state starting ramping up its harm reduction efforts. And over the last few years, more than 14,000 people have used the harm reduction services at its three public health offices in Madison. Olsen and Weston both told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that access to harm reduction services led to those same people making healthier choices in other areas of their lives. Syringe services, for example, reduce the risks of contracting and transmitting HIV and viral hepatitis, but while there, people can learn about safer injection practices, vaccinations, wound care, and how to get access to social and mental health services. The Trump administration plans to consolidate several programs, including SAMHSA, into a unified entity under the new Administration for a Healthy America, which will focus on chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, and mental health services. The budget would retain $5.7 billion "for activities that were formerly part of SAMHSA," according to the discretionary budget. It would not include the $56 million annual grant through SAMHSA that distributes overdose-reversing kits and trains first responders in how to administer naloxone. Proponents of Trump's budget, which would cut a quarter of Health and Human Services, including more than a $1 billion from SAMHSA, have argued the cuts are necessary to "streamline operations, enhance responsiveness to the American people, and ultimately improve the nation's health as part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative," HHS press secretary Vianca Rodriguez Feliciano told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email. Feliciano offered no specifics on how the cuts would improve the nation's health. Widespread cuts like this, public health officials argue, will reduce access to supplies and resources at a time when communities in Wisconsin and beyond are starting to see the benefits of the federal overdose prevention strategy. Rhetoric from the White House, too, risks growing misconceptions of what harm reduction is and, significantly, what it is not. Already, the biggest falsehood Weston and Olsen encounter is that harm reduction enables drug use. "Teenagers don't decide to start doing heroin because they know they could get naloxone," Olsen said. "That's just not how addiction progresses for people." Instead, harm reduction offers an opportunity to save lives, Weston said. "Anybody who knows somebody who has died from an overdose will tell you that they wish that person could have another chance, and they wish they could have intervened, that maybe they could have made a difference," Weston said. "Harm reduction is that difference." Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@ or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Harm prevention efforts have cut drug OD deaths. Why is Trump opposed?
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Minnesota suicides remain stable for second year after 2022 peak
After trending upward for two decades, hitting a record high in 2022, suicide deaths in Minnesota have remained flat for the past two years, state health officials say. According to preliminary data, the number of Minnesota suicides in 2024 — 813 — was the same as in 2023, ending a 20-year upward trend. This marks two years of suicides below the state high set in 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Until 2023, 'deaths by suicide in Minnesota have been trending up for the past 20 years with some slight fluctuations each year, mirroring patterns' across the country. 'The overall increase in deaths by suicide over the last couple of decades continues to be concerning,' Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham said in a statement. 'Every death by suicide is a tragedy and can have an ongoing impact on families and communities. Our aim is to help make sure people know suicide is preventable and recovery is possible.' Some key points in the 2024 data: • The suicide rate in entirely rural counties was twice that of Twin Cities metro counties. State health officials say contributing factors that make rural residents more at risk could include higher rates of firearm ownership, less access to health and mental health care, and higher poverty rates. • More males died by suicide than females, with males making up nearly 80% of the deaths. • Nearly 51% of the deaths were caused by firearms, a higher percentage than in recent years. State officials are 'closely watching initial proposed federal funding cuts that could significantly undermine this work to protect Minnesotans. Specifically, it calls for the elimination of both the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at CDC and key SAMHSA Mental Health Programs, as well as possible cuts to some 988 funding.' If you need immediate emotional or mental health support, or are worried about someone else, call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at to connect with a trained specialist. What the EPA's partial rollback of the 'forever chemical' drinking water rule means Trump surgeon general pick praised unproven psychedelic therapy, said mushrooms helped her find love EPA announces rollback for some Biden-era limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water UnitedHealth CEO Witty resigns amid setbacks UnitedHealth Group CEO steps down as company lowers, then withdraws financial outlook for 2025
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Emergency rooms treat a gunshot wound every half-hour
U.S. emergency room doctors treat a gunshot wound every half-hour, a new study has found. What's more, firearm injuries appear to follow specific patterns throughout the year, with gun violence occurring more often at certain times, according to research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Firearm injury Emergency Department visit rates were highest during evenings, weekends, summer months and holidays, noted the research team led by Dr. Adam Rowh, an epidemic intelligence service officer at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. For the study, researchers analyzed ER gun injury visits that took place between January 2018 and August 2023 in nine states and the District of Columbia. The states were Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. They found more than 93,000 firearm-related ER visits during that five-year period, which amounted to about 74 cases for every 100,000 visits -- roughly one every 30 minutes. Results also showed that gun injury ER visits gradually increase from the afternoon into the night, and hit their average peak between 2:30 and 3 a.m. Average daily rates were highest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, researchers found. The most dangerous day was New Year's Eve, and the most dangerous month was July. Other holidays with high rates of ER-treated gun injuries included Independence Day, Memorial Day and Halloween. This was the largest study so far to investigate patterns of firearm injuries related to different times of the day, week and year, researchers said. "These findings support and expand on previous research demonstrating differences in firearm injury incidence according to time of day, day of the week, holiday status, and time of year," researchers wrote. Hospitals can use these findings to beef up ER staff during periods when more gun violence can be expected, researchers said. Police and community workers can also use the data to prepare for times when people are more likely to be shot, the team added. More research should be done into why these specific times appear related to gun violence, the authors concluded. "Understanding the factors contributing to the temporal patterns of firearm injury presents a valuable opportunity for future prevention efforts, and implementation of policies, programs, and practices grounded in the best available evidence can bolster states' and communities' prevention efforts," researchers wrote. The new study appears in the May issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. More information Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has more on gun violence in the U.S. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is Utah making progress in the fight against opioid-related deaths?
Fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid deaths spiked in the United States. But three months into 2025, drug overdose-related deaths have gradually decreased, yet remain the most common death amongst adults ages 18 to 44, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recent CDC data reported that between October 2023 and September 2024, the United States saw its lowest death rate in a 12-month timeframe since 2020. During that period, there were 87,000 deaths compared to 114,000 the year before. 'It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year,' said Allison Arwady, Director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, per the report. 'That's more than 70 lives saved every day,' and is happening because 'we are more rapidly identifying emerging drug threats and supporting public health prevention and response activities in communities across America.' Utah continues to face a significant drug trafficking threat, as demand indicates the state is a destination for illegal sales. Victims of drug-related deaths in Utah more frequently succumbed to synthetic opioids like fentanyl or methamphetamine mixed with other substances, and less to prescribed medication, which was historically more common, according to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner. Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine, while carfentanil — an opioid used to tranquilize elephants — is 10,000 times more potent. A fatal dose of fentanyl may be as little as 2 milligrams. Similarly, just 0.02 milligrams of carfentanil can end a life. Both are being trafficked for use in the state of Utah. 'The sharp increase in the number of fentanyl-involved deaths outpaces reductions in deaths from prescription opioids,' Dr. Deirdre Amaro, Utah's chief medical examiner said. 'We will likely see an increase in the drug overdose death rate if this trend continues.' The U.S. saw a slight drop in opioid-related deaths since its yearly peak ending mid-July 2023 at 85,387 deaths, Addiction-Rep shared with the Deseret News via email, highlighting detailed statistics from their national report on America's opioid crisis. By June 2024, national opioid-related deaths decreased by 16% to 71,484 deaths the following year. The following opioid statistics regarding the U.S. were also shared: From June 2023 to June 2024, synthetic opioids like fentanyl remained the most common drug involved in opioid deaths in the state but decreased by 20% year-over-year. Deaths caused by heroin have seen a 'drastic' decrease, showing a fallen rate in the last five years from 14,743 in 2019 to 3,242 in 2024 — a nearly 80% decline. Men are the most common victims of drug-related deaths on a state and national level. But, fatality rates have decreased in both men and women by 19% year-over-year. For Utah specifically, from June 2022 to June 2023, the state experienced 492 opioid-related deaths. By June 2024, the rate increased to 503, 'still, when looking at Utah's rate of deaths per 100k people, the state experienced a modest year-over-year decline of 0.2% (due to the Utah population increasing).'
