The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, solicited comments to incorporate into the 2023–26 National Health Security Strategy. The previous strategy is available onlineopens in new window.
Responses were requested for three individual questions from ASPR. An overview of the comment is provided below. See the full comment (PDF, 313KB)opens in new window.
“What are the most critical national health security threats and public health and medical preparedness, response, and recovery challenges that warrant increased attention over the next five years?”
- COVID-19: Ensuring that pandemic and its impact on mental and behavioral health continues to receive attention is imperative.
- Children’s Mental Health: The COVID-19 pandemic and other factors have contributed to a rise in mental health concerns within children.
- Mental Health Inequities: Historic disparities in access to behavioral care among populations of color can influence both the prevalence and risk of chronic behavioral health conditions emerging in these communities.
- Population Health: Cultural, economic, systemic, historical, environmental, and occupational contexts that influence health status, well-being, and functioning must be considered to gain an accurate understanding of individual health.
- Climate Change: There is growing recognition that climate change can have negative effects on social relationships, mental health, and brain development.
“What medium-term and long-term (i.e., over next five years) actions should be taken to mitigate these challenges at the federal government and/or state, local, tribal, and territorial level?”
- Strengthening the Mental Health Care Workforce: A strong mental health workforce is critical to combating the long-term impact of health emergencies and remedying longstanding access gaps.
- Improving Access to Mental Health Care for Children and Youth: The stakes of untreated mental and behavioral health symptoms for children and adolescents are exceptionally high.
- Investing in Youth Mental Health Research: There is much more to learn and to apply in order to develop interventions, target them appropriately, and treat young people when prevention fails.
“What public health and medical preparedness, response, and recovery opportunities or promising practices should be capitalized on over the next five years?”
- Agency Coordination:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should work more closely together to ensure responses to future public health emergencies incorporate and address the mental health effects.
- We further recommend CDC to work with SAMHSA to develop an integrated approach to whole health in a pandemic in each agency’s strategic plan.
- Along with SAMHSA, the Department of Education also funds several key programs that provide school-based mental health services and address the social and emotional needs of students.
- Mis/Disinformation: The role of mis/disinformation in this pandemic must be examined. Misinformation is dangerous; without being able to believe the information being shared, people may opt not to use all available tools to improve their safety and the safety of the larger community.
For more information, contact Corbin Evans.