Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  This month, we recommit to helping one another and fighting against social isolation.  No one should feel lonely.  Every Nebraskan and American should feel supported.

When I was Governor, we worked to strengthen mental health care in Nebraska.  As a result of these efforts, U.S. News and World Report ranked Nebraska as having the fourth-best mental health in the nation.  A lot of this success was due to acknowledging and confronting the challenge of mental health.

We built a behavior health System of Care to support Nebraska youth battling mental illness in a less restrictive setting.  We trained educators and school personnel in best mental health practices and Mental Health First Aid.  We also invested over $30 million in ARPA funds for youth care at CHI Immanuel, Boys Town, and Children’s Hospital.  We prioritized early intervention and resolution to immediate crisis.  This strategy reduced the percentage of youth needing in-patient or residential treatment from 6.7% to 3.3% in two years.

I launched the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families to help Nebraska’s heroes.  The call to defend our country comes with a cost.  Many of our veterans bear the physical or psychological scars of service.  Working with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, we encouraged those in need of care to receive help.

We also rolled out the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  It’s patterned after 911 and gives callers a simple, easy-to-remember number to dial for assistance during a mental health crisis.  We partnered with the Boys Town National Hotline to help de-escalate crises.  Their team de-escalated over 97% of callers to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline without requiring external emergency intervention.

Still, about a third of Nebraskans report feeling lonely at some point throughout the year.  I know many families are increasingly spread apart — that’s true for mine.  Digital connections are good, but it’s not the same thing as being there in person.  Nebraskans of all ages are becoming more isolated as a result.  A study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that 21% of young Nebraskans feel lonely some or all the time.  Another 24% reported feeling lonely a little bit of the time.  These numbers are way too high.  It’s time to address loneliness like any other issue. 

We need to know what is causing this increase in loneliness so we can tackle the problem and improve lives.  We must invest resources to improve our understanding of the rise in social isolation.  Only then can we implement common sense policy to address loneliness.

That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Improving Measurements for Loneliness and Isolation Act.  Representative Mike Flood introduced the companion bill in the House.  This bill would establish a working group that standardizes the measurements of loneliness and isolation.  This would allow experts to target the root causes of loneliness.

Another way to combat the loneliness epidemic is to spend more time together.  We can be proactive in uniting as communities.  That’s why I led an effort to create the National Day of Play.  There’s nothing better than a day well spent with family and friends.  Play builds social connection, sharpens the mind, and keeps us young at heart.  Across our churches, schools, and communities we should enjoy our neighbors and remember to have fun.

As we reflect on Memorial Day, it’s also important to remember the invisible wounds so many veterans feel.  I’m fighting to improve mental health care for our servicemembers and veterans.  One of the ways I’m doing this is with the MIND Our Veterans Act.  This bill would ensure that servicemembers receive effective, evidence-based mental health screenings prior to separation from active duty.

We must recognize and address the rise in mental health issues in America.  Across Nebraska mental health care providers are hard at work to address the growing problem of loneliness.  I’m supporting these providers, raising awareness of the growing epidemic, and fighting for improved care for our veterans.

This month and every month, check in with friends, family, and neighbors.  Let them know you care.

My team and I are here to serve you.  Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224.  You can also view my website at https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact.