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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, Suicide Prevention Month is observed every September as an opportunity to raise awareness about suicide prevention, reduce stigma around mental health issues, and to encourage open conversations and support for those affected by suicide; and
WHEREAS, though Suicide Prevention Month began in 2008, the observance evolved over time through the efforts of mental health advocates, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies; and
WHEREAS, this development began in 1975 thanks to activities sponsored by The American Association of Suicidology that culminated in the observance of National Suicide Prevention Week during the second full week of September, and was designed to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide; and
WHEREAS, later in 1999, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher put out his Call to Action to Prevent Suicide, marking one of the earliest comprehensive efforts by the U.S. government to recognize suicide as a serious public health issue; and
WHEREAS, then in 2001 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General launched the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, which became the blueprint for national suicide prevention efforts; and
WHEREAS, the first Recognized Suicide Prevention Day was observed on September 10, 2003, as a result of the collaboration between The International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization; and
WHEREAS, on January 1, 2005, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline launched with a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and would go on to establish 109 call centers and become known as the country’s reliable resource for those in suicidal crisis – with 2.2 million calls being answered annually by 2018; ...
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