HB21-1119: SUICIDE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND POSTVENTION

Representative Rich, Representative Daugherty, Senator Coram, Senator Donovan

Summary: This bill will expand the existing Office of Suicide Prevention to include intervention and postvention efforts that will help curb the occurrence of suicide in Colorado. http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb21-1119

It has passed the CO House and is in the State Senate for their votes. Call Senator Ray Scott to support this bill. CLICK HERE for his contact details.

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(wording on the bill provided by Jeriel and Arn - Western Colorado Alliance)

This bill is being championed by Western Slope sponsors because they know it’s a devastating truth that Western Colorado communities experience higher than average suicide attempts and deaths year over year.

Each year West Slope Youth Vote students survey their peers to ask them what the most important issues are for their own lives, and what they see as the most important issues in their communities. The issues of high suicide rates across Western Colorado continues to rise to the top of the list, and more than anything, students are asking to be brought into the conversation to understand how to address this issue. This bill is a huge step in that direction, and deserves support from all voters.

Former West Slope Youth Vote intern & current NYU student Liliana Flanigan offered a powerful closing testimony in committee just days before this bill passed the house.

This bill, sponsored by three West Slope legislators — Representative Janice Rich, and Senators Kerry Donovan and Don Coram — challenges the state to rethink suicide prevention to include suicide intervention and postvention.

But what does this mean? Did you know suicidal thinking can be a direct result of common medical conditions, and only 46% of suicides are mental health related? This bill would improve conditions for attempt survivors, their families, loss survivors, medical professionals, and first & last responders. It is important to know that responders, providers, students, and other suicide survivors suffer elevated risk themselves.

For every life lost to suicide, there are 25 people who survive a suicide attempt. For every life lost to suicide, 115 affected family and friends who then suffer increased risk themselves. Survivors across this spectrum must be served.

These statute changes would ensure that all those affected are brought into the conversation when studying our historic self-harm related deaths, including working to understand what needs to be done differently to protect lives in our communities.

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Groups supporting with lobbyists https://www.coloradocapitolwatch.com/lobbyists/1/HB21-1119/2021/0/

Also, the West Slope Youth Vote interns publish impressive issues report each year in which they grade their legislators. Check out their 2019 and 2020 reports. Such amazing young people!