In this August 2023 episode, host Tim Jordan explores the topic, “Are Mass Shootings Caused by Mental Illness? His guest for this thought provoking interview is Dr. Lisa Pescara Kovach.
Fact: This year (2023), is on pace to become the deadliest year for mass shootings in recent history. A mass shooting is defined as 4 or more people shot, wounded, or killed.
Fact: Public mass casualty events are becoming more common.
Fact: In a given year, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness and 1 in 6 young people experience a major depressive episode
Fact: The vast majority (e.g., more than 90%) of people with mental health conditions are not violent. Only 3%–5% of violent acts can be attributed to them. In contrast, people with a severe mental illness are over 10 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than the general population.
Fact: After every mass shooting, certain politicians, especially those with ties to the National Rifle Association, and pundits say that the mental health of the shooter is to blame.
Is the mental health of each shooter to blame? Listen and find out. Resources for this podcast:
• The University of Toledo: https://www.utoledo.edu/
• The Judith Herb College of Education @ UToledo: https://www.utoledo.edu/education/
• UToledo Center for Education in Mass Violence & Suicide: Dr. Lisa Kovach. https://www.utoledo.edu/education/centers/mass-violence suicide/experts/pescara-kovach-lisa.html
• Book Co-Authored by Dr. Kovach: White Supremacist Violence: Understanding the Resurgence and Stopping the Spread (2023). Routledge Press, Taylor and Francis Group.
https://www.amazon.com/White-Supremacist-Violence-Brian Brunt/dp/1032058854
• The Facts on Mental Illness and Mass Shootings
https://www.factcheck.org/2019/10/the-facts-on-mental-illness-and mass-shootings/
• Research: Is There a Link Between Mental Health and Mass Shooting? https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/mass shootings-and-mental-illness?
• Article: Blaming mass shootings on the nation’s mental health crisis is harmful. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/blaming-mass-shootings nations-mental-health-crisis-harmful/story?id=84973562
• Blog: What Do We Do About the Gun Program in America? https://1795group.com/what-do-we-do-about-the-gun-problem-in america/
• Listen to all episodes of Grass Roots Health:
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Thoughts? Suggestions for topics or guests? Interested in becoming a sponsor of this podcast? Email tjordan@1795group.com
Grass Roots Health is sponsored by the 1795 Group.
www.1795group.com Produced by Tim Jordan. Dr. Pescara Kovach was booked by Tim Jordan. Artwork done by Danielle Procopio. Audio editing and mastering was done by Christopher Stoll of Audio Flare Recording, Toledo, OH: https://www.audioflare.com/
