By Abby Emanuelson, Care4Carolina, Executive Director and Caitlin Patterson, Care4Carolina, Intern
Between the Memorial Day and July 4th holidays, 24 individuals were injured and seven were killed in North Carolina cities and towns according to the Gun Violence Archive. And while mass shootings dominate the media, in North Carolina, five individuals die from a firearm-related death per day, with over half of these deaths being categorized as suicides. The latest issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal (NCMJ), “Reducing Firearm Injury & Death in North Carolina
publishes commentaries of policy advocates and state leaders on this issue and talks about needed changes and steps NC has already taken to reduce firearm deaths and injuries.
One of the commentaries included in the NCMJ issue: “How North Carolina is Reducing Violence and Firearm Misuse That Leads to Injury and Death” notes Medicaid Expansion being signed into law as progress toward reducing gun violence. Here at Care4Carolina, we wanted to share our findings on why expanding Medicaid will help North Carolina address this preventable public health crisis.
An average of 1,818 deaths by suicide were averted in Medicaid expansion states according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). With the decades-long rising rates of suicide, and the particular spike during the pandemic, greater access to mental health services is a key way to address suicide prevention. Mental health professionals play a critical role in assessing their patients for violence risk and counseling about firearm safety. This is particularly important for our youth. In 2021, firearm suicides “accounted for 68.1% of suicides among North Carolinians aged 15-24.”
Once Medicaid expansion is implemented and enrollment begins more than 600,000 North Carolinians will be eligible for increased access to mental health treatment. In 2020, more than 55% of individuals in need of mental health services did not receive treatment, mainly due to cost and lack of access. Medicaid expansion will be particularly beneficial in extending crucial mental health care to residents in rural communities where mental health professional shortages are alarmingly prevalent.
Additional benefits found in expanding Medicaid is a reduction in in-hospital mortality resulting from firearm injuries. Firearms are among the most common mechanisms of traumatic injury in the US. Uninsured patients face higher risks of hospital mortality and are less likely to receive rehabilitative care. Studies among early expansion states found a 15% decrease in the uninsured rate among young adult trauma patients.
Investing in North Carolina’s mental health infrastructure through Medicaid expansion is key to reducing firearm deaths and injuries.