May 15-22, 2022: Michigan Suicide Prevention Training Week

WHEREAS, May is known as Mental Health Awareness Month and is intended to help promote awareness about the mental health system, services, and resources available to our communities; and,

WHEREAS, some mental illnesses and life stressors can come with suicidal thoughts and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, orientation, income level, religion, or background; and,

WHEREAS, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States 45,970 people died by suicide in 2020 and,

WHEREAS, the number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher, and in 2020 an estimated 12.2 million American adults seriously considered suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.2 million attempted suicide; and,

WHEREAS, In 2020, suicide was the top 9th leading cause of death among people ages 10-64 in the US, and the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages 10‐14 and 25-34; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan chooses to publicly discuss and place our full support behind local educators of evidence-based suicide prevention skills trainings; and,

WHEREAS, local organizations like suicide prevention coalitions, community mental health programs and our Michigan Suicide Prevention Commission are on the front lines of an effort that many still struggle to discuss in public, as suicide and mental illness remain shrouded in stigma; and,

WHEREAS, research has shown that as more members of our state learn skills taught via various evidence-based suicide prevention training programs, more lives will be saved; and,

WHEREAS, I encourage all of Michigan’s residents to take the time to invest in the well-being of their families, their communities and our state by taking a suicide prevention training class during Michigan Suicide Prevention Training week from May 15 to May 22, 2022;