Representative Mike Schlossberg, who represents part of Lehigh County, is highlighting the extreme numbers of deaths by suicide reported by the CDC.
A press release discusses the recent data, which shows that deaths caused by suicide increased across the country in 2022. More than 49,000 people lost their lives last year from intentional self-harm, reaching the highest level since the data was first tracked in 1941.
That's higher than the total population of Upper Macungie Township and South Whitehall Township combined.
Deaths by suicide in Pennsylvania increased between 2020 and 2021, continuing a trend of yearly increases over the past decade. Deaths caused by overdoses and other attributed mental health conditions have also consistently increased.
Representative Schlossberg says something must be done about this “major, accelerating crisis.”
In the past year, the recently-launched 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has received around 7 million calls, texts, and chats from individuals looking for somewhere to turn.
The challenge of finding help from mental health providers is worse than ever, with long wait times for appointments or care.
Schlossberg also emphasizes that although efforts have been made to increase mental health care in Pennsylvania, the new resources that have been created have been neglected. Budget cuts and lack of support for school leaders make the pronounced issue more challenging.
As the State Representative says, he’s beginning to question whether some of his colleagues are willing to make the necessary investments. He hopes that the State House and Senate will prove him wrong.
