Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as "National Suicide Prevention Month" as well as September 10, 2024, as "World Suicide Prevention Day".

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1436 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1436

 Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing 
    support for the designation of September as ``National Suicide 
 Prevention Month'' as well as September 10, 2024, as ``World Suicide 
                           Prevention Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2024

Mr. Thanedar (for himself, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
 Mullin, Ms. Crockett, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Soto, Mr. Green of 
 Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. 
     Vargas, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. Brownley, Mrs. 
   Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. 
Carson, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Craig, Ms. Sanchez, 
  Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Huffman, Mr. 
Pappas, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Torres of New York, 
Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Evans, Mr. Kim of New 
   Jersey, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Wild, Mr. Amo, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. 
  Williams of New York, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, and Mr. Raskin) submitted the following resolution; which 
          was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing 
    support for the designation of September as ``National Suicide 
 Prevention Month'' as well as September 10, 2024, as ``World Suicide 
                           Prevention Day''.

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this 
        resolution referred to as ``CDC''), suicide was among the top 9 leading 
        causes of death for people ages 10 to 64 in 2022;
Whereas, according to the CDC, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for 
        people ages 10 to 14 and 25 to 34 in 2022;
Whereas, according to the CDC, 1 individual in the United States dies by suicide 
        every 11 minutes, resulting in 49,476 deaths in 2022;
Whereas the number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher;
Whereas, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration (in this resolution referred to as ``SAMHSA'') National 
        Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 2022, an estimated 13,200,000 
        adults seriously thought about suicide, 3,800,000 planned a suicide 
        attempt, and 1,600,000 attempted suicide in 2022;
Whereas, according to SAMHSA, trends in suicide attempts and deaths by suicide 
        have been increasing among adolescents;
Whereas, according to SAMHSA, 3,400,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United 
        States had serious thoughts of suicide, 1,700,000 made a suicide plan, 
        and 953,000 attempted suicide in 2022;
Whereas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (in this resolution 
        referred to as ``VA'') National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report 
        data released in 2023, the number of suicides among veterans has 
        continued to rise in the 20 years from 2001 to 2021;
Whereas, according to the VA, suicide was the second-leading cause of death 
        among veterans aged 45 or under and the 13th-leading cause of death for 
        veterans overall;
Whereas, according to the VA, the average number of veteran suicides per day 
        rose from 16.4 in 2001 to 17.5 in 2021;
Whereas, according to the National Institutes of Health (in this resolution 
        referred to as ``NIH''), suicide is a leading cause of death in the 
        perinatal period during pregnancy and until the first year postpartum;
Whereas, according to the NIH, suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality 
        and accounts for about 20 percent of postpartum deaths;
Whereas, according to the NIH, between 7,000 to 30,000 children experience their 
        parent's suicide each year in the United States;
Whereas the stigma associated with mental health conditions and suicidal 
        ideation hinders suicide prevention by discouraging individuals at risk 
        for suicide from seeking lifesaving help; and
Whereas September is an appropriate month to designate as ``National Suicide 
        Prevention Month'' because September 10 is ``World Suicide Prevention 
        Day'', a day recognized internationally and supported by the World 
        Health Organization: Now, therefore, be it;
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes suicide as a preventable national public 
        health problem;
            (2) supports the designation of ``National Suicide 
        Prevention Month'';
            (3) supports the designation of ``World Suicide Prevention 
        Day'';
            (4) declares suicide prevention as a priority;
            (5) acknowledges that no single suicide prevention program 
        or effort will be appropriate for all populations or 
        communities;
            (6) recognizes that there is no single cause for suicide 
        and that suicide is most often an impulsive act that occurs 
        during a moment of overwhelming hopelessness and despair;
            (7) recognizes that mental health is equally as important 
        as physical health; and
            (8) develops and implements strategies to increase access 
        to quality mental health, substance abuse, and suicide 
        prevention services.
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