| R 323 |
| 2021 -- H 6461 Enacted 06/23/2021 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING SEPTEMBER OF 2021, AS "NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH" AND THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 5TH-11TH AS "NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Filippi, Phillips, Fellela, Cortvriend, Ajello, Solomon, and Morales |
| Date Introduced: June 23, 2021 |
| WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in |
| 2020, suicide was the twelfth leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading |
| cause of death for individuals between the ages of ten and thirty-four; and |
| WHEREAS, When someone dies by suicide, the loss is felt by many. The ripples of loss |
| spread from close family and friends to community members, acquaintances and even people the |
| deceased did not know; and |
| WHEREAS, The CDC reported that in 2019, 12 million Americans thought about |
| committing suicide, 3.5 million Americans make an actual plan for suicide, and in 2020, 44,834 |
| Americans committed suicide; and |
| WHEREAS, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that suicide and |
| self-injury costs the United States $69 billion; and |
| WHEREAS, According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 7,000 military and former |
| military personnel, active service and reserve service members, and veterans, commit suicide |
| each year; and |
| WHEREAS, As tragic as the suicide numbers are in the United States, they would be far |
| worse if not for the tireless work provided by countless suicide prevention volunteers throughout |
| the United States; and |
| WHEREAS, Researchers have consistently found that simply having an existing hotline |
| and a trained volunteer is the best way to save lives. Suicide prevention callers who turned away |
| from suicide most commonly credit the hotline and the volunteer they talked with as being most |
| responsible for their choice to continue living; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| commemorates September of 2021, as "National Suicide Prevention Month" and the week of |
| September 5th-11th as "National Suicide Prevention Week" in the State of Rhode Island; and be |
| it further |
| RESOLVED, That this House hereby recognizes that suicide is a serious national public |
| health problem and thanks all the suicide prevention advocates and volunteers for the lives they |
| save every day; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to The Samaritans of Rhode Island. |
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| LC002722 |
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