988 is the national 3-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. (Photo from Massachusetts Division of Public Overall health)

May possibly is National Mental Overall health Awareness month which is a stark reminder that the nation and our state faces an alarming mental well being crisis affecting males, females and youngsters.

This week, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who represents a huge component of Billerica, filed a resolution in Congress that calls interest to this crisis which impacts the physical, emotional and wellbeing of households, close friends and communities. It is estimated that additional than 70 million adults and youngsters have a mental well being challenge, a single out of six adults endure from depression, 110,000 individuals died final year of drug overdoses and the U.S. surgeon common just announced that loneliness is now a severe mental well being crisis. In Massachusetts, it is estimated that additional than 55% of residents are experiencing behavioral well being challenges. Sadly, mental well being providers in Massachusetts are not in a position to retain up with the severe development of these in want of assist.

Behavioral therapists are experiencing burnout from treating an overwhelming quantity of current individuals in search of urgent care which prevents new individuals from getting prompt therapy, oftentimes resulting in weeks — if not months — for an appointment.

Nearby hospital emergency departments are seeing an enhance in mental well being individuals needing instant help due to acute psychiatric episodes. As well usually these individuals, young and old, are forced to wait in the ER for extended periods of time ahead of they are transferred to an acceptable care setting.

Mental well being specialists think social media and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of sadness, anger, and drug and alcohol abuse, which has led to a severe emotional crisis of violence, suicide, harming oneself or other folks. As a outcome, municipal and suburban police departments are seeing a dramatic enhance in 911 calls requesting urgent help for an individual experiencing an acute mental well being issue. A single suburban police division close to Boston reports that final year, 50-60% of 911 calls requested officer help for residents struggling with behavioral well being and substance abuse challenges.

Police officers are the initial to acknowledge that even although they acquire some mental well being crisis coaching in the police academy and as component of their inservice education, they are not the very best equipped to proficiently deal with individuals in mental distress.

It is gratifying to know that a increasing quantity of police departments in Massachusetts, like Lowell, are now collaborating and partnering with mental well being clinicians who will accompany officers responding to a get in touch with for behavioral help. In my personal town of Billerica, with a population of 45,000, Police Chief Roy Frost is extremely proud of possessing a mental well being clinician readily available to accompany officers when they acquire a get in touch with for assist.

Frost, who enters his second year as police chief, understands that mental well being and substance abuse are extremely essential neighborhood, high quality of life and public security challenges. By possessing a extremely educated mental well being clinician partnering with his officers, the extremely very best level of urgent care is becoming rendered to these in want.

The Billerica plan is component of a inventive and revolutionary collaborative of police departments in Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Tyngsboro and Dracut and is funded by grants from the state Division of Mental Overall health.

As the mental well being crisis continues to escalate in our area and state, it is incumbent on Gov. Maura Healey and the legislature to seriously look at elevated funding to the Division of Mental Overall health so the agency can deliver even higher economic help to police agencies and neighborhood primarily based mental well being providers as a way of generating additional applications and solutions that address this extremely severe issue.

Billerica’s Rick Pozniak served as a well being care communications and government affairs executive and communications counsel to the Mass. Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Overall health made through the Dukakis administration.