[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 134 (Monday, September 12, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S5494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK AND WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize 
the 37th annual National Suicide Prevention Week, which began on 
September 4 and culminated with World Suicide Prevention Day on 
September 10. I take this opportunity to reflect on the destructive 
effects of suicide on families and communities and to raise awareness 
about the need for an effective national suicide prevention strategy to 
help communities address this serious public mental health threat. 
Suicide is a major cause of premature death, and we must do more to 
prevent it.
  The statistics about suicide are deeply concerning. In our Nation, 
suicide is the 11th leading cause of death for all ages. Among young 
adults ages 15 through 24, there are approximately 100 to 200 attempts 
for every completed suicide. Suicide takes the lives of approximately 
30,000 Americans each year, and a person dies by suicide almost every 
15 minutes. Our Nation's veterans account for 20 percent of suicides 
and the Army recently suffered a record number of suicides this past 
July.
  In my State of South Dakota, suicide is the fourth-leading cause of 
death among all South Dakotans and the second-leading cause of death 
for adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24. The 
rate of youth suicide in my State is over three times the national 
average. These statistics place South Dakota among a group of Western 
States that consistently has a higher rate of suicide than the rest of 
the country.
  Youth suicide among American Indians in South Dakota is of particular 
concern. The suicide rate for American Indians ages 15 to 34 is more 
than two times higher than the national average and is the second 
leading cause of death for this age group. The suicide rate for the 
Rosebud Sioux Tribe is among the highest in the world. The loss of 
young people to suicide is a real crisis. On American Indian 
reservations in South Dakota, I have seen the catastrophic ripple 
effect that one suicide can have. Given the alarming occurrence of 
``suicide clusters'' and imitative deaths that have occurred in Indian 
country in the past, it is imperative to provide support for those at 
risk.
  Substance abuse and violence, two accepted risk factors for suicide, 
are common on the reservation, and tribe members also face extreme 
poverty and geographic isolation. During the past few years, I have 
been encouraged by the increased recognition of the need for suicide 
prevention programs in tribal areas. Tribes now have more access to 
funds that will aid in the building of suicide prevention programs. 
However, we must continue to provide tribes with the resources they 
need to implement culturally sensitive suicide prevention programs. It 
is critical to strengthen the social fabric to help improve mental 
health. Youth suicide prevention programs have helped bridge this 
service gap, but further investments are necessary to sustain and 
expand these efforts. Decreasing the number of suicides in Indian 
country will require increased community awareness, developing 
effective prevention and intervention methods, and enhancing access to 
mental health service providers.
  Studies indicate the best way to prevent suicide is through early 
recognition and treatment of depression and other psychiatric 
illnesses. Depression goes unrecognized in half of the general 
population and in 80 percent of seniors. Over 90 percent of suicide 
victims have a significant psychiatric illness at the time of their 
death. These are often undiagnosed, untreated, or both.
  Furthermore, it is necessary to acknowledge the obstacles that 
individuals at risk of suicide face in accessing treatment. Lack of 
insurance coverage, limited access to affordable mental health care, as 
well as cultural stigmas and myths about suicide pose significant 
barriers to treatment. A serious effort to prevent suicide must break 
down those barriers and expand access to mental health services 
nationwide, with a special focus on increased mental health awareness 
and improving prevention and early intervention methods. In addition, 
investments in tools to evaluate intervention and prevention methods 
and training programs for health care professionals are needed to 
foster the development and implementation of evidence-based and 
emerging best practices in the prevention of suicide.
  National Suicide Prevention Week and World Suicide Prevention Day are 
reminders that suicide is a preventable cause of premature death that 
tears families and communities apart, and more can be done to prevent 
these tragedies. Each day, families and communities across the Nation 
suffer devastating losses as a result of suicide. It is estimated that 
for each suicide, seven other lives are altered forever. Every year, 
approximately 200,000 people become survivors due to this tragic loss 
of life. Many suicide survivors are left devastated, confused and 
weakened by their loss. Friends and family often experience depression, 
guilt, shock and anger. Unfortunately, there remains a stigma 
surrounding suicide and mental illness, and victims often shoulder some 
of the blame.
  I appreciate this opportunity to increase awareness about the 
destructive impact of suicide on America's families and communities and 
to raise awareness about the urgent need for an effective national 
suicide prevention strategy to help communities prevent future losses 
of life.

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