Monitoring and Surveillance of Behavioral Health in the Context of Public Health Emergencies
A Toolkit for Public Health Officials
A: Examples of Jurisdictions That Have Collected Data on Behavioral Health in the Context of a Public Health Emergency
Table 1 Jurisdictions That Have Collected Behavioral Health Indicators in the Context of a Public Health Emergency
| State, County, or City | PHE | Organizational Lead | Example of BH Indicator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Wildfires, drought, earthquakes | California Department of Public Health | Prevalence of self-reported stress and isolation; rates of prescription medication fills | |
| Colorado | Wildfires, drought, school shootings, tornado | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Drug overdose rates; suicide deaths; use of BH services; unemployment rates; rates of marijuana use | |
| Georgia | Opioid crisis | Georgia Department of Public Health | Rate of opioid overdose; use of BH services | |
| Texas (Harris County) | COVID-19 | Harris County Public Health, Harris County Social Services, and Harris County Food Bank | Prevalence of self-reported unmet health and social service needs | |
| Hurricane | Rice University | Prevalence of homes flooded; prevalence of contact with floodwater; prevalence of income loss; prevalence of physical symptoms (e.g., headaches); self-reported emotional distress (e.g., changes in behavior, depression, anxiety, sleep problems) | ||
| New York (New York City) | September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks | New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene | Prevalence of self-reported stress and isolation | |
| Washington | COVID-19 | Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and Washington State DOH | ED visits for BH concerns; alcohol sales; firearm injuries; reports of intimate partner violence | |