UNITED KINGDOM: UK Appoints Minister for Suicide Prevention

The New York Times

The UK has appointed a government minister to lead suicide prevention efforts. The first position of its kind, the minister will focus on reducing suicide rates and addressing barriers to help-seeking. In addition to the new appointment, the government has announced funding for the Samaritans crisis line and promised to boost support for mental health services for young people. According to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the government aims to ensure that mental health is a priority on par with physical health. “The truth is that, for an awfully long time, mental health has simply not had the same level of support—both in terms of resources, but also in terms of how we as a society talk about it—compared to physical health, and we want to change that,” said Hancock.