[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     GARRETT LEE SMITH MEMORIAL ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2634--A Youth 
Suicide Prevention Bill.
  Suicide knows no boundaries. It affects children of every race, 
ethnicity, religion, and economic background and takes the lives of 
3,000 young people every year. Suicide is the third leading cause of 
death for children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24.
  My neighbors and close personal friends, Doug and Sharon Strouse, 
tragically lost their daughter, Kristin, to suicide shortly after the 
September 11th Terrorist Attacks in New York. Kristen was a gifted 
student at the Parson's School of Design in New York at the time of her 
passing and had a promising future in the design field.
  In Kristin's memory, the Strouses used their grief to help other 
young people who may be depressed or considering suicide. Kristin's 
sister, Kim, established a non-profit organization that runs art 
workshops to provide suicide prevention education and crisis 
intervention. The Strouses also support suicide awareness through a 
moving videotape that helps young people and their parents identify the 
signs of depression while offering solutions to help them address the 
issue.
  I believe S. 2634 also known as the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act of 
2004 will help the Strouses and other families further these important 
programs. The bill will also improve nationwide access to prevention 
and intervention techniques for youth.
  The bill authorizes $82 million over three years for mental health 
services, including screening, assessment, mentoring, and counseling, 
on the local, state, and federal level. These services will be offered 
in a variety of settings including schools, juvenile justice systems, 
foster care establishments, and substance abuse programs.
  The legislation will also help establish a comprehensive federal 
strategy to share data, disseminate research, and coordinate the 
evaluation of early intervention and prevention programs for youth.
  I believe S. 2634 will help fund some very important work to help 
families like the Strouses avoid the pain of losing a loved one.

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