Congressional Findings

Pub. L. 108–355, § 2, Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1404, provided that: “Congress makes the following findings:

“(1)

More children and young adults die from suicide each year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined.

“(2)

Over 4,000 children and young adults tragically take their lives every year, making suicide the third overall cause of death between the ages of 10 and 24. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third overall cause of death among college-age students.

“(3)

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children and young adults accounted for 15 percent of all suicides completed in 2000.

“(4)

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

“(5)

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

“(6)

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

“(7)

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.

“(8)

Congress has recognized that youth suicide is a public health tragedy linked to underlying mental health problems and that youth suicide early intervention and prevention activities are national priorities.

“(9)

Youth suicide early intervention and prevention have been listed as urgent public health priorities by the President’s New Freedom Commission in [probably should be “on”] Mental Health (2002), the Institute of Medicine’s Reducing Suicide: A National Imperative (2002), the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Goals and Objectives for Action (2001), and the Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent Suicide (1999).

“(10)

Many States have already developed comprehensive statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies that seek to provide effective early intervention and prevention services.

“(11)

In a recent report, 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.

“(12)

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.’.

“(13)

Researchers who conducted the study ‘Changes in Counseling Center Client Problems Across 13 Years’ (1989–2001) at Kansas State University stated that ‘students are experiencing more stress, more anxiety, more depression than they were a decade ago.’ (The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 14, 2003).

“(14)

According to the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 20 percent of full-time undergraduate college students use illicit drugs.

“(15)

The 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse also reported that 18.4 percent of adults aged 18 to 24 are dependent on or abusing illicit drugs or alcohol. In addition, the study found that ‘serious mental illness is highly correlated with substance dependence or abuse. Among adults with serious mental illness in 2001, 20.3 percent were dependent on or abused alcohol or illicit drugs, while the rate among adults without serious mental illness was only 6.3 percent.’.

“(16)

A 2003 Gallagher’s Survey of Counseling Center Directors found that 81 percent were concerned about the increasing number of students with more serious psychological problems, 67 percent reported a need for more psychiatric services, and 63 percent reported problems with growing demand for services without an appropriate increase in resources.

“(17)

The International Association of Counseling Services accreditation standards recommend 1 counselor per 1,000 to 1,500 students. According to the 2003 Gallagher’s Survey of Counseling Center Directors, the ratio of counselors to students is as high as 1 counselor per 2,400 students at institutions of higher education with more than 15,000 students.”