In the News

In 2021 after two years of decline, the U.S. suicide rate resumed its upward climb, with young people and men hit hardest, according to CDC data. The 4% increase almost wiped-out modest decreases in previous years, with 47,646 suicides in 2021. During the pandemic in 2020, suicides declined, only to increase in 2021 with available […]

In August, there was a 45% increase of people contacting the 988 lifeline compared to August 2021 with more than 361,000 calls, texts and chats. According to HHS data, answer rates and wait times improved with 88% of calls, chats and texts getting through this August, compared to 67% in August 2021. Less than 2% […]

CA: Suicide ideation According to the NAMI, nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts about suicide and 9% report a suicide attempt. The goal is to bring more staffing into schools for kids in crisis and the need is dire for school psychologists alone. A big question remains – does funding solve the […]

For the column “Actionable Advice to Help Kids Thrive,” Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, shares his ‘Tip of the Week.’ He discusses motivational interviewing techniques to engage with teens. Motivational interviewing is a way of talking to someone who needs support but doesn’t want to be told what to do. It often produces better results for […]

An op-ed by Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO, looks at how 988 is improving access to help for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis. SAMHSA estimated that 988 contact volume would more than double the first year. The latest data for August 2022 shows the number of contacts to 988 increased 45% over […]

On the book release day for "You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health," Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, joined CBS Mornings hosts in-studio live to discuss his inspiration for writing the book and sharing wisdom from people with mental health conditions on different approaches to help navigate mental health concerns for […]

Nearly 10% of Americans suffer from depression, with the mood disorder increasing fastest among teens and young adults, a new study finds. Given the increase in depression, primary care doctors should be screening their patients for it regularly, said Dr. Christine Crawford, NAMI associate medical director. "Medical providers who are screening for depression signals to […]

In this podcast episode Allison Keyes, CBS News Radio correspondent/host interviews, Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director at NAMI, to discuss the rising rate of suicide and suicide attempts among Black young people. There is research showing that children as young as 5 years old are at risk. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, […]

Both Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, and Pooja Mehta were interviewed about You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health. Pooja Mehta is one of 130 people who shared first-person accounts of their experiences with mental illness in the book, as a way of challenging the stigma and educating the public about […]

Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director at NAMI, said parents can explain in simple terms what they do to calm down. The key is to keep listening. "If your child is keeping to themselves, they're just staying in the room, they're not engaging with you, or with their friends, then that's certainly reason to be […]