Naomi Judd was a musician who left country music better than she found it, a caring nurse, a proud mother and a wife who adored her partner of 42 years. She died by suicide on April 20, 2022, the day before she was to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Naomi was living with depression, a disease that many Americans experience. In 2023, more than 49,000 Americans died by suicide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, more than 13 million adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.8 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.6 million attempted suicide, according to the CDC estimates. Suicide is also the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. among Americans aged 10 to 34.
We have witnessed this mental health crisis up close. One of us is Naomi’s younger daughter, Ashley; the other is the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services. In Naomi’s memory and the memory of so many other lost loved ones, we have worked together to elevate our national discussion about mental health.
Perhaps more than any single event in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic magnified feelings of social isolation and loss and exposed inequities in access to mental health care and counseling. The lasting effects of the pandemic, along with a toxic political climate, negative and addictive social media content and substance abuse have all contributed to damaging mental health in this country.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Under President Joe Biden, the Health and Human Services department has worked to ensure broader access to mental health services and support. But we know that stigma about depression and anxiety often prevents people from seeking help.
Last April, we released the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and a federal action plan to implement that strategy. The strategy makes behavioral health services available to everyone regardless of race, geography or income, and looks into the impact of social media and drug and alcohol use on mental health. Crucially, the strategy prioritizes equity to address populations disproportionately affected by suicide, including members of the LGBTQ+ community and people in rural areas.
Our plan identifies more than 200 concrete actions to be initiated and evaluated over the next three years. HHS will fund mobile crisis centers, increase support for survivors of suicide loss, decrease access to lethal means by promoting secure storage of firearms, medications, poisons and much more. The goal is a coordinated and comprehensive approach to suicide prevention at all levels of government, along with partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Among our most successful work has been to expand the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which has answered more than 10 million calls, texts and chat messages in the past two years, helping desperate individuals and saving countless lives. The lifeline now has specialized tools for veterans, Spanish speakers, members of the LGBTQ+ community and the hearing impaired.
The Biden administration announced $36.9 billion in behavioral health funding last year – the largest commitment in U.S. history to address the overdose and mental health crises. That includes support to states building crisis systems, federal incentives for 24/7 mobile crisis benefits through Medicaid, community behavioral health centers and training for first responders.
As President-elect Donald Trump and his new administration prepare to take office, the tools are in place to continue this important work to reduce suicides. The priority must be to save lives and help people thrive, no matter who sits in the White House or who leads HHS.
For every Naomi, there are families who experience their own confusion and traumas from the disease that affects their loved ones. Those of us who have lived through this, who have felt helpless and scared, can seek help and support for our own healing too. We can honor our loved ones for their whole being, with our grief and joy, as we confront the disease together in our communities.
It is critical that we continue to encourage a dialogue about these issues, even when those conversations can be complicated and personal. We can and must do these things together.
A few years before her death, Naomi Judd wrote about her struggle with depression, a battle well known to many Americans. “If you’ve got a pulse, then you’re fighting some battle, whether it’s a diagnosis of depression…or something else,” she wrote. “There’s power in numbers…You’re not alone.”
Death by suicide devastates families, friends, neighbors and the wider community. We all have a role to play in promoting suicide prevention, and we pray that our next leaders will continue the important work of the Biden administration in this field. Together, we will make a tangible and powerful difference in so many precious lives.
Please follow and like us:
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
Related
READ LATER - DOWNLOAD THIS POST AS PDF >> CLICK HERE <<
