SENATE RESOLUTION 67

(By Senators Weld and Caputo)

[Introduced March 5, 2024]

Designating March 6, 2024, as Suicide Prevention Awareness Day at the Legislature.

Whereas, Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in West Virginia, and the 2nd leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 10 to 34; and

Whereas, In the United States, as reported by the CDC, one person commits suicide every  11.14 minutes resulting in over 47,000 suicides each year; and

Whereas, Suicide is the only leading cause of death in the United States that has increased every year for the past decade; and

Whereas, It is estimated that over 1.4 million people attempt suicide each year; and

Whereas, The Department of Public Health reports that in West Virginia, 71 percent of suicide deaths are from firearms; and

Whereas, Over 90 percent of the people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and treatable mental health condition, although their condition is not often recognized or treated; and

Whereas, The stigma associated with mental health conditions and suicidality works against suicide prevention by discouraging those at risk for suicide from seeking life-saving help, and further traumatizes survivors of suicide loss and people who have lived with the experience of suicide; and

Whereas, Organizations such as The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention envision a world without suicide, and are dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide through research, education, advocacy, and resources for those who have lost, or struggle with these urges; and

Whereas, We recognize suicide as a preventable national and state public health problem and declare suicide prevention to be a priority.  It is acknowledged that no single suicide prevention program or effort can, or will, be appropriate for all populations or communities, but well-placed initiatives based on the goals contained in the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and West Virginia’s strategy for suicide prevention are encouraged.  One universal initiative is promoting awareness that there is no single cause for suicide, and that suicide most often occurs when stressors exceed current coping abilities of someone suffering from a mental health condition; and

Whereas, It is recommended to develop and implement strategies to increase access to quality mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention services; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby designates March 6, 2024, as Suicide Prevention Awareness Day at the Legislature; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to Amanda Farley, Director of the WV AFSP.