Bridging Mental Health and Climate Resilience: Policy Insights and Recommendations for Washington D.C.

Abstract

Introduction: This case study examines how related policies, like the National Suicide Hotline Act of 2018 and the Climate Ready DC initiative, can respond to the exacerbation of mental health issues caused by climate change in the District of Columbia and immediate areas. Global warming significantly impacts mental health. Rising heats fuel the worsening of mental health. Many young individuals feel negative emotions like helplessness associated with climate change’s progression, leading to newer conditions like climate anxiety. With D.C.’s high climate awareness, these circumstances present optimal testing grounds for possible policy solutions to address and learn more about these struggles. Methodology: Methods utilized were sifting through academic journals using Google Scholar and other websites, focusing on using key search terms relating to the two issues, and ultimately building a case study around Washington D.C.’s mental health and climate policies. Results: Analyzing the National Suicide Lifeline and Climate Ready DC, we found that climate anxiety and increased heat waves were unaddressed areas in the policies. Tying these findings into recommendations to the Climate Ready DC plan—an initiative for the District of Columbia to prepare for the effects of climate change—we propose that they increase the number of call operators for the National Lifeline during heatwaves, as well as create a new specialized section of the Lifeline for climate anxiety. Conclusion: Overall, the prominent issues of climate change and mental health and their combined effects, like climate anxiety, remain lightly researched without future implications. More research must address these rising issues adequately and provide necessary solutions.