It's Time to Address the Suicide Crisis

  • by: Joel Boyce
  • recipient: Health and Human Services Director Alex Azar

Suicide rates have increased across the country, by more than 30% in 25 states. A new report from the Center for Disease Control shows that from 1999 to 2015, death by suicide has grown at such an alarming rate it has actually decreased the average American life expectancy.

If this weren't bad enough, vulnerable groups, including LGBT+ youth and children from black families are at significantly higher risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide. Many of those who die by suicide have no diagnosed mental illness, and societal and economic causes are believed to be major influencing factors.

These factors include everything from structural racism to government economic policy that is hostile to those of low income to anti-LGBT+, anti-immigrant, and racist rhetoric from politicians and government administrations, all things that have worsened under the Trump administration. So it is likely that the risk of suicide will continue to climb. Dealing with suicide and associated mental health issues head-on has never been more urgent.

Sign the petition to demand improved mental health services for all citizens, with the specific goal of stemming the tide of preventable deaths by suicide!

Alex Azar, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, you are responsible for safeguarding the health of all Americans. We are asking you to work with Congress to allocate more funding to the National Institute of Health and to state governments to create and implement improved mental health services and related, root cause issues.

Please take this opportunity to be the light in the darkness for a growing number of suffering and vulnerable Americans.

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