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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY DINNIMAN, BOSCOLA, ERICKSON, FERLO, FONTANA, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, LOGAN, MUSTO, O'PAKE, ORIE, RAFFERTY, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE AND STACK, JUNE 30, 2010 |
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| INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 30, 2010 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Designating the week of September 5 through 12, 2010, 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 1,550 Pennsylvanians, or an |
7 | average of more than four people each day, died by suicide, |
8 | including 160 Pennsylvanians 15 to 24 years of age; and |
9 | WHEREAS, More people are hospitalized or treated and released |
10 | as a result of a suicide attempt than are fatally injured; and |
11 | WHEREAS, It is important to note that suicide rates increase |
12 | with age and are very high among people 65 years of age and |
13 | older, particularly people who are isolated and suffering from a |
14 | physical illness; and |
15 | WHEREAS, The causes of suicide are complex and multifaceted, |
16 | involving psychological, biological and sociological factors; |
17 | and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Ninety percent of all people who die by suicide have |
2 | a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of death, most |
3 | commonly a depressive or substance abuse disorder; and |
4 | WHEREAS, The stigma associated with mental illness |
5 | discourages at-risk persons from seeking lifesaving help and |
6 | further traumatizes survivors of suicide; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Suicide prevention opportunities continue to |
8 | increase due to advances in clinical research on the diagnosis |
9 | and effective treatment of mental illness, advances in |
10 | neuroscience and community-based suicide prevention initiatives; |
11 | and |
12 | WHEREAS, Many suicides are preventable; therefore be it |
13 | RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of September 5 |
14 | through 12, 2010, as "Suicide Prevention Week" in Pennsylvania |
15 | and urge all residents of this Commonwealth to support the |
16 | volunteer agencies that work to educate the public on the |
17 | symptoms and risk factors associated with suicide in order to |
18 | prevent suicides and thus reduce the number of suicides in this |
19 | Commonwealth. |
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