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AFSP encourages, praises suicide prevention legislation in Florida, Georgia

Advocates from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention recently met with lawmakers in Tallahassee, Florida to encourage prioritization of suicide prevention programs to reduce suicide in the state.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 25 to 34 years in Florida and the third leading cause of death for individuals aged 10 to 24 years, according to a press release. In 2010, suicide cost Florida $2,841,739,000 of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost, an average of $1,018,910 per suicide death.

The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention, and the Florida Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council joined the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to encourage lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 884, the Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention bill.

The bill would require the Department of Education to integrate 2 hours of training in youth suicide awareness and prevention into existing requirements for continuing education or in-service training.

Advocates from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also met with lawmakers in Georgia to express gratitude for passing the Jason Flatt Act in 2015 and encourage continued support for legislation that prioritizes suicide prevention.

“[The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention] is grateful for the Georgia General Assembly's strong commitment to suicide awareness and prevention,” Roland Behm, BA, JD, chair of the board of directors of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Georgia, said in the release. “The Jason Flatt Act of Georgia passed last Session with overwhelming support from both houses of the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Deal in May 2015. Passage of the Jason Flatt Act was a significant step forward in addressing the issue of youth and adolescent suicide in our state.”

Similar to Florida, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 25 to 34 years and the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 24 years in Georgia. Suicide cost Georgia $1,318,204,000 of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2010, an average of $1,163,463 per suicide death.