(Beacon: Kansas City): Missouri, Kansas saw combined drug, alcohol, suicide deaths decline in recent research

Missouri, Kansas saw combined drug, alcohol, suicide deaths decline in recent research

by Meg Cunningham, Beacon: Kansas City
June 10, 2025

Deaths caused by drugs, alcohol and suicide dropped in Missouri and Kansas in 2023, thanks in part to investment in mental health services and data tracking from government agencies, a new report found.

The data analysis from Trust for America’s Health found that Missouri and Kansas tracked nationwide trends when it comes to deaths induced by alcohol, drug overdose or suicide. 

Nationwide, more than 200,000 deaths in 2023 can be attributed to alcohol, drug overdoses or suicide, a 4% decrease from 2022. 

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/23628799/

The report defines alcohol-induced deaths as those caused by alcohol poisoning, liver failure or other adverse effects related to alcohol. Drug overdoses include opioids, synthetic opioids, cocaine and other psychostimulants. 

Overall, the combined rates of injury deaths fell 8% in Kansas from 2022 to 2023, with 56.7 deaths per 100,000 people. In Missouri, injury death rates fell 10% to 62.4 per 100,000. 

Kansas was one of five states in 2023 that saw alcohol-related deaths increase, growing 1% from 2022 to 15.7 deaths per 100,000 people. 

Separately, recently released preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows the drop in deaths caused by alcohol, drug overdose or suicide continued in 2024. 

For resources for mental health or substance use crisis, call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The progress is encouraging but feeble, the report’s authors said during a media briefing. More investment in data collection, tracking and health care that is specific to each community’s needs is crucial in order for rates to keep falling, they said. 

Recent funding and workforce cuts at the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) threaten the progress that is being made, said Dr. Nadine Gracia, the president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health and the former director of the office of minority health at the Department of Health and Human Services. 

“Among the tools that led to these reductions in overdose deaths are improved data systems that allow local officials to track drug misuse trends and direct resources where they’re needed most, as well as the availability of overdose reversal medications like naloxone,” Gracia said. 

How Missouri and Kansas fared with injury deaths in 2023 

Rates for all injury deaths dropped in Missouri and Kansas, aside from Kansas’ slight increase in alcohol-related deaths, in 2023. 

In Missouri, alcohol-related deaths fell 10% from 2022 to 2023, to 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people. Nationally, alcohol-related deaths dropped 7%, to 12.6 deaths per 100,000. 

Kansas and Missouri both outperformed national progress when it came to drug overdose deaths. Nationally, drug overdose rates fell 4% to 31.3 deaths for every 100,000 people. The rate decreased 14% in Kansas to 22.8 deaths, and fell 12% in Missouri to 17.1 deaths. 

Kansas outpaced Missouri when it came to reductions in overdoses related to opioids and synthetic opioids. In Kansas, opioid overdose deaths fell 18% from 2022 to 2023, while synthetic opioid overdose deaths fell 17%. In Missouri, opioid overdose deaths fell 8%, while synthetic opioid overdoses fell 7%. 

Both states also outperformed the nationwide rate when it comes to the decrease in deaths by suicide. Nationally, the rate fell less than 1%. In Kansas, deaths by suicide fell 5% at 19.6 deaths per 100,000 people, while Missouri saw a 6% reduction in deaths by suicide, at 18 deaths. 

But the data shows a need for more resources in both states when it comes to mental health, addiction treatment and suicide prevention efforts.

The report ranked Kansas 35th when it comes to mental health treatment access, while Missouri was ranked 32nd. 

In Kansas, the data analysis found that 6% of residents over 18 reported serious mental illness in the last year. In Missouri, 7% of residents reported the same. The average therapy cost for a therapy appointment in Kansas was about $147, while it averaged $122 in Missouri. 

In both Kansas and Missouri, 76% of known residents with substance use disorder did not receive treatment for their addiction. 

And as public health strategies lean into harm reduction through education, peer support and other low-barrier forms of support, investments are being made in mobile crisis units that can treat patients or connect them with resources for their care.

Currently, Kansas has no enhanced Medicaid reimbursement for any mobile crisis unit  operating in the state, while Missouri has established a planning grant to put an enhanced Medicaid reimbursement in place. 

What experts recommend for the U.S. to continue its decline in drug, alcohol, suicide deaths

The report outlines a number of recommendations for Congress and state officials to keep the momentum going. 

The group called on Congress to restore the CDC’s workforce and to fund the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which is a national data resource for health officials to track trends in their areas. The center also provides technical assistance and provides some funding for prevention programs across the country. 

Under President Trump’s current budget proposal, the Injury Center will be cut. 

“No other agency collects and analyzes injury data across emergency departments’ overdose deaths and suicide attempts at the level of detail and speed that CDC does, and no other agency deploys scientists at the request of local governments to provide on-the-ground support when new drug threats or suicide clusters emerge without the Injury Center,” said Sharon Gilmartin, the executive director of the Safe States Alliance. “Communities will lose access to a range of resources.” 

The report also recommended that the U.S. boost access to early prevention and support programs for those who may be struggling with addiction or their mental health, focus on youth programs for addressing substance misuse, promote harm reduction policies and support efforts that limit access to lethal means of suicide, like voluntary gun locks. 

“We’re seeing signs of progress, but that progress is not universal and it’s not guaranteed to continue,” said Dr. Susan Kansagra, the chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. “So now is the time to double down, renew our investment and commitment in funding the programs that support the health and well-being of communities across the nation.” 

This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.