đ¤ The song that led to decreased suicides
Your 12/19/21 update on all things social work
Good morning.
Letâs get that sluggish Sunday brain đ§ warmed up with a little quiz:
Who am I? I co-founded Hull House in 1889, which provided social, educational, and artistic programs for indigent communities in Chicago, Illinois. I also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, and am considered to be one of the pioneers of the social work professions (read: an overall badass đ).
The answer is at the bottom of the newsletter. No cheating.
News
Justice for social worker who was left naked during a police raid
On February 21, 2019, Anjanette Young, a 51-year-old medical social worker, was handcuffed and forced to stand naked for several minutes in front of a dozen police officers after they had burst into her apartment to execute a search warrant.
The police had been searching for a man with a gun, but later learned that the person they were looking for had not lived at the location for four years.
On December 15, the Chicago City Council unanimously approved a $2.9 million dollar settlement. Ms. Young stated that she began taking medication to treat her depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following the raid. She has also lost her job.
Ms. Young is also pushing for strict disciplinary measures against the officers and reforms including a ban on no-knock warrants and measures preventing officers from pointing guns at children.
Song helped decrease suicide
American hip hop artist Logicâs song "1-800-273-8255" helped decrease suicides in 10- to 19- year olds by 5.5% during three time periods: the first 34 days after the song's release, Logic's performance at the 2017 MTV awards, and during his performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
Furthermore, the song led to a 50% greater outreach to the suicide hotline following the artistâs performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. The songâs title is directly referring to the number of the suicide hotline. You can watch the music video here.
This research also underscores the influence public figures have on certain populations. A well-known phenomenon termed Wertherâs Effect shows that suicide rates increase after a highly publicized death by suicide.
No budget cuts
The NASW helped prevent pay cuts of up to 10% to clinical social workers and other providers working with Medicare.
In November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which outlines reimbursement rates for services. The ruling had called for numerous cuts, including a 3.75% reimbursement cut which was initiated during COVID. The NASW had played a key role in the advocacy process that helped prevent the cuts.
Good looking out, NASW đ.
Following the Surgeon Generalâs Advisory
Recent research covering 80,000 youth globally found that depressive and anxiety symptoms doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms ... Early clinical data are also concerning: In early 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019.
There has been a flood of reporting on teen mental health following the Surgeon Generalâs advisory on teen mental health last week.
Clinicians stress that parents should abstain from diagnosing their children and should instead be mindful of emotional and behavioral changes. These changes include increased resistance in going to school, lack of motivation, increased anxiety, withdrawal, and changes in eating habits.
Other clinicians wrote about the relationship between the media and teen mental health and the relationship between loneliness and mental health. Regarding this latter point, they highlight how social media and technology have exacerbated loneliness among teens.
Policy
Bill to improve mental health among clinicians
The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is moving forward after passing in the House of Representatives last week. The bill âestablishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health and prevent burnout among health care providers.â
The bill will allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for trainings on well-being, suicide prevention, and other behavioral health issues. Furthermore, the bill will expand mental and behavioral health programs and will enable the HHS to study and develop policy recommendations on preventing burnout and improving mental health among health care providers.
The expanded child tax credit is set to expire
If the expanded child tax credit expires, it will throw millions of children back into poverty. The expanded child tax credit, which was passed through the American Rescue Plan last July, increased the maximum credit amount from $2,000 per child to $3,600 for a child under age 6 ($3,000 for a child aged 6-17).
Household tax filers making less than $112,500 and married tax filers making less than $150,000 were eligible for the expanded child tax credit. The bill also allowed families to claim their 17-year-old children for the credit for the first time.
Unfortunately, the expanded tax credit will expire unless the Build Back Better act is passed. This is looking unlikely.
Research
A group of mental health experts proposed new criteria for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The current definitions, they argue, are inconsistent, which has led to less effective clinical trials. The report recommended that TRD be classified as the experience of having âa minimal reduction in symptoms (by 25% or less) after the use of at least two antidepressantsâ. Furthermore, it was recommended that a distinction be made between TRD and partially responsive depression (PRD), which should be classified as âa reduction of between 25 to 50% in symptoms to at least one antidepressant.â
Other social work happenings
A New York Times survey of 1,320 mental health professionals showed certain themes such as increased demand for therapy, long waiting lists, and therapist burnout.
Medicare âpart Bâ recipients will pay 15% more, one of the largest increases ever, due to factors such as the new $56,000 Alzheimerâs drug from Biogen whose benefits have been widely questioned.
Health spending rose to 19.7 percent of gross domestic product, almost one-fifth of the economy, up from 17.6 percent in 2019.Â
New York is funding $100 million in rental supplements aimed at helping New Yorkers pay their rent or find permanent housing if they are homeless
The #988 helpline is the alternative to 911 but geared towards mental health and substance use emergencies. Unfortunately, there has not been progress with implementing 988 in many states.
Answer: Jane Addams đŠđť
P.S. I highly recommend reading her biography