The rate of suicide among older adults is higher than that for any other age group and among those 85 years and older, is the highest rate of all. Nearly 7,000 older adults died by suicide in 2004, the most recent statistics available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Stop Senior Suicide Act is a comprehensive effort to reduce suicide among seniors through several strategies, including: the formation a federal Interagency Geriatric Mental Health Planning Council; providing grants for public or private organizations to plan and implement elderly suicide early intervention and prevention strategies; ensuring that the Suicide Prevention Resource Center provides guidance, training and technical assistance to grantees working on elderly suicide prevention; and adjusting the Medicare coinsurance percentage rate for outpatient mental health services so that it is equal to the rate for other outpatient services.
Please cosponsor S. 1854, the Stop Senior Suicide Act, and help reduce suicide among our nation,s older Americans.
