Federal News & Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 16, 2021 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report this week revealing a 30% increase in overdose deaths in 2020 compared to 2019. This constitutes the largest increase in at least 50 years and represents the deaths of more than 93,000 Americans from drug overdoses.

“This week’s CDC report is a devastating reminder that the opioid crisis continues and, as we suspected, reached tragically high levels during the pandemic,” said American Psychiatric Association (APA) President Vivian Pender, M.D. “It’s critical that policymakers continue to take action to save lives, and that families and patients know that treatment works.”

APA renews its calls for:

• Improved access to mental health...

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2021 – The extreme heat that much of thethe country is experiencing has significant impacts on mental health alongside serious physical health impacts. Some groups, including people with pre-existing mental health conditions, are especially vulnerable.

Extreme heat has been associated with a range of mental health impacts in research over many years, including increases in irritability and symptoms of depression and with an increase in suicide. It can also affect behavior, contributing to increased aggression, incidence of domestic violence, and increased use of alcohol or other substances to cope with stress.

Research has also linked high temperatures to problems with memory, attention and reaction time. Sleep difficulties associated with extreme heat can contribute to and further...