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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 8, 2017 04:20 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Ryan P. Aument |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Resolution: Military Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution that would designate September 2017 as “Military Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, veteran suicide is a growing problem for the men and women who have served this great country. Though veterans make up less than 9 percent of the U.S. population, more than 7,400 veterans took their own lives in 2014, accounting for 18 percent of all suicides in America. Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have responded to the veteran suicide crisis by boosting their mental health personnel and suicide hotline staff in recent years. Further, each VA facility has been asked to commit to “Be There” for veterans through a number of enhanced methods including a “no wrong door” philosophy for suicide prevention so every VA employee will assist veterans in need and to establish “buddy systems” so veterans can reach out to someone when needed. This resolution urges civilians to help prevent veteran suicide by learning about the warning signs of depression and crisis and to “Be There” for our veterans and learn about ways to support those in need. Please join me in designating September 2017 as “Military Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. |
Introduced as SR186