Projects and Grants per year
Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Background
Over the past 10 years, drug overdoses and suicides have been increasing in the United States. The
suicide rate and drug overdose rates in Kentucky have followed similar trends to—while remaining
slightly higher than—the national rates. In 2020, the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18 to 45
was accidental overdose, followed by suicide. Furthermore, the stressors related to Covid-19
exacerbated the co-occurring risk factors of both overdose and suicide. The relationship between suicide
and drug overdose may be difficult to define; however, there are risk factors associated with both, with
suicidality and a history of overdose being a risk factor of each.
Understanding the risk and protective factors that put a Kentucky resident at risk of increased substance
use and related behavioral health issues, including suicide, are a vital component of primary prevention
efforts. Identifying risk and protective factors for behavioral health issues allows limited resources to be
targeted toward the demographic and geographic locations where needed most. Understanding when
consequences of behavioral health issues – such as overdose and suicide – have the same risk and
protective factors creates opportunities for stronger prevention efforts long before an individual
reaches the crisis point. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for better understanding of
these interrelated situations.
The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID), Division of
Behavioral Health (DBH), Prevention and Promotion Branch has been charged with identifying the risk
and protective factors of substance use and suicide in order to implement appropriate upstream,
primary prevention efforts. Additionally, DBHDID has received federal grant funds to supplement efforts
to address these needs. In an effort to best address service needs for these target populations,
University of Kentucky, Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (UK KIPRC) will provide data
collection and analysis focused on the intersection of mental health issues and substance use, to better
understand Kentucky’s current behavioral health situation and support the translation of that
information into primary prevention and treatment practices.
The objective of this project is to identify a links between substance use disorders and suicide, self-
harm, and mental health disorders among residents in Kentucky.
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 7/1/24 → 6/30/26 |
Funding
- KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services
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Projects
- 1 Active
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KY Emergency Response for Suicide Prevention (C4955): FY25 SABG ARPA - Prevention Epidemiology (TN15) (CL1)
KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services
7/1/24 → 6/30/26
Project: Research project