Page 6 - Case for Support - Strong Memorial Hospital | University of Rochester Medical Center

Emergency Care

for Mental Health Crises

There is no health without mental health. For the health of our community, at UR Medicine, our team
Across the nation, the mental health crisis has of more than 1,500 faculty and staff in the Department of

intensified and is overwhelming communities. Psychiatry bring internationally recognized research to our
Today, one in five adults live with a mental illness, patients and work together to provide a wide variety of
more than half of whom—27 million people— mental health services, training, and community outreach
programs to lessen mental health crises for adults and
do not receive treatment. children.

Suicidal ideation has increased every year for the past 10 We have responded in unique ways to the ever-growing
years for adults. In addition, the nation’s leading pediatric need for services for adults. For example, we are working
and psychiatric organizations have joined together to with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH)
declare a national state of emergency in children’s mental to prioritize the telepsychiatry program offering valuable
health. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for mental health services to nursing home residents—at more
10 to 18-year-olds, an estimated one in seven children ages than 60 skilled nursing facilities throughout the state—who
four to seventeen are diagnosed with a mental illness each are coping with dementia and mental illness, and with
year, and more than 2.5 million of the nation’s youth have leaders at Black churches to provide mentorship for Black
severe depression.

University of Rochester students affiliated with Active Minds, a national
organization dedicated to mental health awareness, planted 1,100
pinwheels—representing the number of college students lost to suicide
each year—in Wilson Quad in an effort to raise awareness about the
incidence and impact of suicide, connect students to needed mental health
resources, and inspire action for suicide prevention.