For nine days, join in praying the St. Dymphna novena for someone you may know who is affected by mental illness and for our community's special intentions. St. Dymphna is the patroness of those who suffer from metal affliction. Her feast day is on May 15th.

Americans have notoriously short memories, and this year, legislators in California are proving it through Senate Bill 380, a bill that would remove mental health safeguards for terminal patients to end their lives faster than ever. In 2015, Californians fought against the End of Life Option Act (physician-assisted suicide), saying that it disproportionately preyed upon the disabled, the elderly, non-English speakers, and those in poor communities. We argued for the importance of quality health care for those at the end of life and the critically positive role palliative care and hospice play for patients and their families. After a year of global pandemic, with staggering death tolls, immeasurable mental health concerns and health care inequality laid bare before the entire world, it is baffling to face legislation calling for faster ways for patients to kill themselves. Built into the End of Life Option Act is a sunset date of 2026 — a reassessment after 10 years to see how the law is being used and whether changes and/or the law itself are needed. In the intervening years since the passage of the act, there has been very little evidence about how it is working.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken an emotional toll on Americans, with mental health professionals reporting they are getting more requests for assistance from people feeling helpless and experiencing anxiety and depression. Inquiries are coming from people of all ages -- young children, teenagers, the middle-aged and the elderly -- as they struggle to cope with social isolation, financial hardship, online learning and uncertainty emerging because of the departure from the routines of pre-pandemic life. The annual Gallup health and health care survey in November revealed that Americans' assessment of their mental health is at its lowest point since 2001 -- with 76% of respondents rating their mental health as good or excellent, down from 85% in 2019. For many Americans, the challenges introduced by the pandemic mark the first time they have confronted mental illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has described the rising demand for mental health services as "the silent epidemic within the pandemic."