[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 150 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, September is Suicide 
Prevention Month, and nearly every 12 minutes, an American dies by 
suicide.
  It is now the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. 
Suicide claims the lives of more than 2,000 Pennsylvanians each year--
an average of 5 lives each day.
  Mr. Speaker, suicide is preventable.
  Increasing access to crisis resources saves lives. Mental and 
behavioral health research saves lives. Ending the stigma surrounding 
suicide saves lives.
  There is no single cause of suicide, and suicide risk increases when 
several health factors and life stressors converge to create an 
experience of hopelessness and despair.
  Together we can reverse this course.
  By making mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and suicide 
prevention a national priority, we can reverse the tide on these deaths 
of despair.
  In fact, in 2020, the U.S. designated 988 as the national suicide and 
crisis hotline, making it easier for all Americans to reach help, if 
needed.
  Mr. Speaker, let's keep the conversation going year-round. We can all 
play an important role in prevention.

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