PRINTER'S NO. 1386
No. 167 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY DINNIMAN, BRUBAKER, PIPPY, M. WHITE, RAFFERTY,
ORIE, PICCOLA, EARLL, WASHINGTON, FONTANA, FERLO, STACK,
LOGAN, ERICKSON, C. WILLIAMS, TOMLINSON, BAKER, FOLMER,
BOSCOLA, LAVALLE, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, STOUT, O'PAKE, COSTA,
PUNT, MUSTO, GREENLEAF, CORMAN AND PILEGGI,
SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of September 9 through 15, 2007, as
2 "Suicide Prevention Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Suicide is the 11th leading cause of all deaths in
4 the United States and the 4th leading cause of death among
5 people 18 to 65 years of age; and
6 WHEREAS, In 2005 more than 1,400 Pennsylvanians, or an
7 average of more than three people each day, died by suicide,
8 including more than 160 Pennsylvanians 15 to 24 years of age;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, More people are hospitalized or treated and released
11 as a result of a suicide attempt than are fatally injured; and
12 WHEREAS, It is important to note that suicide rates increase
13 with age and are very high among people 65 years of age and
14 older, particularly people who are isolated and suffering from a
15 physical illness; and
16 WHEREAS, The causes of suicide are complex and multifaceted,
1 involving psychological, biological and sociological factors;
2 and
3 WHEREAS, Ninety percent of all people who die by suicide have
4 a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of death: most
5 commonly a depressive or substance abuse disorder; and
6 WHEREAS, The stigma associated with mental illness
7 discourages at-risk persons from seeking lifesaving help and
8 further traumatizes survivors of suicide; and
9 WHEREAS, Suicide prevention opportunities continue to
10 increase due to advances in clinical research on the diagnosis
11 and effective treatment of mental illness, advances in
12 neuroscience and community-based suicide prevention initiatives;
13 and
14 WHEREAS, Many suicides are preventable; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of September 9
16 through 15, 2007, as "Suicide Prevention Week" in Pennsylvania
17 and urge all residents of this Commonwealth to support the
18 volunteer agencies that work to educate the public on the
19 symptoms and risk factors associated with suicide in order to
20 prevent suicides and thus reduce the number of suicides in this
21 Commonwealth.
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