Grace Napolitano: “Mr. Speaker, this week is National Suicide Awareness Week, and we want to highlight that fact. Approximately 30,000…”

“Mr. Speaker, this week is National Suicide Awareness Week, and we want to highlight that fact. Approximately 30,000 people, 30,000 people, commit suicide in the United States every year, making suicide the 11th leading cause of death nationwide. Suicide is particularly a problem among young people, communities of color, and seniors. The States with the five highest suicide rates are Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, and Arizona. Everyone should be screened by the health care providers in our schools for mental health and/or risk of suicide. Because of the associated stigma of the crazies, we cannot count on people to seek out help on their own. Another key point is our need for more mental health professionals to break down financial and language barriers to mental health.”