PRINTER'S NO. 2865
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 375
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, O'NEAL, MARCELL, SCHEUREN, GIRAL,
M. MACKENZIE, McNEILL, JAMES, KINSEY, ROZZI, HILL-EVANS,
CIRESI, SANCHEZ, MIHALEK, HOHENSTEIN, PROBST, PIELLI,
SCHLOSSBERG, STENDER, WEBSTER, COOK, HADDOCK, GALLAGHER,
VENKAT, FLICK, DEASY, GUENST, LABS, R. MACKENZIE, DELLOSO,
NEILSON, MOUL, KHAN AND CERRATO, APRIL 8, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 8, 2024
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the month of September 2024 as "Military Suicide
2 Prevention and Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Current studies confirm a high suicide rate among
4 United States military veterans; and
5 WHEREAS, Suicide is a national public health issue among
6 veterans, nonveteran adults and United States adults; and
7 WHEREAS, Veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide
8 than those who have never served in the military; and
9 WHEREAS, The risk factor for female veterans is 2.2 times
10 higher; and
11 WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, we lose nearly 250 veterans per
12 year by suicide; and
13 WHEREAS, The reason for the elevated suicide rate among
14 veterans may be attributed to use of lethal means to complete
15 suicide and contributing factors of high exposure to trauma,
 1 stress, burnout, addiction, isolation, unemployment,
2 homelessness, loneliness and difficulties reintegrating into
3 civilian life; and
4 WHEREAS, Officials at the Department of Military and Veterans
5 Affairs have responded to the veteran suicide crisis by leading
6 the Pennsylvania Governor's and Mayor's Challenges to Prevent
7 Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, and
8 coordinate concerted efforts to expand their community outreach
9 efforts; and
10 WHEREAS, Major General Schindler, the Adjutant General of
11 Pennsylvania, originated the Department of Military and Veterans
12 Affairs motto to be "Together We Serve," signifying the military
13 family serves together and military service impacts everyone
14 associated with its service; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
16 month of September 2024 as "Military Suicide Prevention and
17 Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives fully support the
19 bipartisan actions of the 118th Congress and the United States
20 Department of Veterans Affairs as they continue to work together
21 to improve the needed support for our veterans and their
22 families.
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