Recognizing Suicide Prevention Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Suicide Prevention Month. We know our country is in the midst of a severe mental health crisis, and people are struggling. After declines in the suicide rate from 2019 to 2020, the rates increased almost percent in 2021. Provisional data from the CDC shows that the rate is continuing to rise, up 2.6 percent from 2021 to 2022. According to this data, which is not yet final, we lost about 49,450 people to suicide in 2022.

This is a dire situation, but we have tools to help save lives and the opportunity to transform how we as a nation respond to suicide, mental health, and substance use crises. I am grateful to my colleagues for supporting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the 988 Lifeline has helped connect millions of individuals across the country with support and resources in their darkest hours. Since its transition to the 988-dialing code from the longer, 10-digit hotline in July of 2022, the Lifeline has received almost 5 million contacts (through calls, chats, and texts). Vibrant Emotional Health, the administrator of the Lifeline, estimates that this number could reach 9 million in the next fiscal year (FY24).

We must ensure that anyone in crisis--regardless of the time of day, or where they are--has someone to talk to, someone to respond, and a safe place to go. Continued federal investment is critical for the 988 Lifeline to sustain the crisis care continuum and build out the call centers, as well as mobile crisis response teams and crisis stabilization facilities.

Suicide does not discriminate and impacts all communities, with some populations being at increased risk. For example, between 2018 and 2021, increases in age-adjusted suicide rates were highest amongst Native Americans (26 percent), with Blacks (19.2 percent) and Hispanics (6.8 percent) also experiences significant increases. Other disproportionately impacted populations include Veterans, people living in rural areas, LGBTQ people, middle-aged and older adults, tribal populations, and youth.

Vibrant estimates that about 80 percent of chat and text contacts are initiated by youth and young adults. We must meet children and adolescents where they are and ensure that chat and text capacity is strong enough to meet this great demand. To address mental health challenges among our youth, I will be reintroducing the Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Act, which would help young people support their mental health byestablishing a competitive grant program for middle and high-schools to facilitate student-led suicide prevention programs.

A study from Pew Charitable Trusts earlier this year revealed that only about 13 percent of adults in the US are aware of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline represents a chance to change how our country supports those in crisis; it cannot reach its potential if most people are unaware of its existence, and of its numerous resources and supports it can offer them when they need them most. A coordinated, national suicide prevention public awareness campaign is necessary to educate people across the country of what 988 has to offer. That's why I will be reintroducing the Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act to support culturally competent advertisements across the lifespan.

Suicide prevention has long been an important issue to me. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me this month in raising awareness and supporting legislation that promotes mental health and suicide prevention to help save lives.

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