[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ESTABLISH YOUTH SUICIDE AS A COMPELLING NATIONAL PRIORITY

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                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 23, 1998

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for a 
resolution I introduced last week that is of fundamental importance to 
every person who has ever had children and to every family that has 
suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide.
  During this summer, while I was home in my district, I had the 
opportunity to meet my constituent Lisa Dove, the mother of Justin Dove 
who tragically committed suicide at age 16. Justin was a well liked 
child who lived with clinical depression and Attention Deficit 
Disorder. Despite several years of medical psychological treatments and 
antidepressant medications, Justin decided to take his own life.
  The purpose of this bill would be to recognize the week of September 
20-26, 1998, as Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention 
Week. This bill would also recognize that there is a need to increase 
awareness about youth suicide and make it a national priority. Finally, 
this legislation also encourages communities nationwide to increase 
awareness about and prevent youth suicide.
  I would like to thank my original co-sponsor of this bill, the 
Honorable David Skaggs of Colorado. I would also like to recognize the 
Light For Life Foundation of America and their founders, the Emme 
family, who tragically lost their teenage son, Michael to suicide in 
1994. It was through the vision of the Emme family that the Yellow 
Ribbon Program, which is now responsible for saving over 1,000 teenage 
lives since its inception, has become a reality.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope this resolution will increase awareness and help 
reduce the number of teenage suicides.

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