House Resolution 162 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY LENSING 1 3 A Resolution identifying suicide as a problem affecting 1 4 the entire state and supporting the development of 1 5 suicide prevention activities. 1 6 WHEREAS, according to the Iowa Department of Public 1 7 Health's Healthy Iowans 2010 report, in the United 1 8 States suicide is the ninth leading cause of death 1 9 overall, the third leading cause of death for persons 1 10 ages 15 to 24, the sixth leading cause of death for 1 11 persons ages five to 15, and suicide rates are high 1 12 among the elderly; and 1 13 WHEREAS, in Iowa, the report indicates suicide 1 14 deaths average 306 per year and according to the 1 15 federal government's National Strategy for Suicide 1 16 Prevention it is estimated there are five suicide 1 17 attempts for every death; and 1 18 WHEREAS, analysis of the national strategy 1 19 information indicates in 1996 medical costs relating 1 20 to suicide attempts and deaths by young people were 1 21 estimated at $14 million, loss of future earnings 1 22 totaled $44 million, and loss of quality of life costs 1 23 amounted to $174 million; and 1 24 WHEREAS, the Healthy Iowans 2010 report stresses 1 25 the importance of raising community awareness about 1 26 the need for early intervention and recognition of 1 27 Iowa citizens who are potentially at risk for suicide, 1 28 particularly youth and the elderly; and 1 29 WHEREAS, Iowa's Suicide Prevention Strategy 1 30 Steering Committee, a group of educators, mental 2 1 health and public health workers, counselors, 2 2 physicians, and others, have requested that suicide 2 3 prevention be identified as a state goal; NOW 2 4 THEREFORE, 2 5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 2 6 That the House of Representatives identifies suicide 2 7 as a serious problem affecting the entire state and 2 8 that a variety of suicide prevention programs are 2 9 needed for all populations and in all communities in 2 10 the state; and 2 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of 2 12 Representatives supports development of the following 2 13 suicide prevention initiatives: responding to persons 2 14 at risk for suicide and persons who have attempted 2 15 suicide, promoting safe and effective treatment for 2 16 persons at risk for suicidal behavior, supporting 2 17 persons who have lost someone to suicide, and 2 18 developing an effective statewide strategy for the 2 19 prevention of suicide; and 2 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of 2 21 Representatives encourages the development and 2 22 promotion of accessible and affordable mental health 2 23 services to enable all persons who are at risk for 2 24 suicide to obtain these services without fear of any 2 25 stigma. 2 26 LSB 6823HH 80 2 27 jp/sh/8