April 28, 2020 — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recognizing the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s mental health and well-being, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance), which serves as the nation’s public and private partnership for suicide prevention, is launching the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response). This coordinated response effort — led by Joshua Gordon, MD, PhD, director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum — brings together influential national organizations to address mental health and prevent suicide. According to a recent Gallup online survey, Americans say their mental health is suffering more than their physical or financial health due to COVID-19. These findings underscore the urgency to address the short-term and long-term mental health consequences of this pandemic.
