HELP PREVENT SUICIDE FOR OUR YOUTH!!!!!! ! This bill needs passed....simply copy and paste and send to the emails designated to prompt our respective politicians to PASS THIS BILL! Pennsylvania StateHouse Bill (HB) 1559, if adopted into law,would require PA schools to adopt youth suicide awareness and prevention policies that include methods of prevention (including regular training for educators serving students in grades 6-12), intervention, and postvention; reporting procedures; and local resources and contacts. HB 1559 passed the House in September2013; AFSP then worked with Senate leaders on several amendments and the bill unanimously passed the Senate in February 2014 with those amendments. The Pennsylvania House still has yet to concur in (agree with) those changes. House leaders are currently deciding whether or not they will act on the bill. We now need YOUR help to move HB 1559 forward! Please email or call the following House leaders to request that they send HB 1559 to the House floor for a concurrence vote, with NO changes or amendments, as soon as possible: Representative Mike Turzai (Allegheny Co.): mturzai@pahousegop or (717) 772-9943 Representative Bill Adolph (Delaware Co.): wadolph@pahousegop or (717) 787-1248 Representative Sam Smith (Jefferson, Armstrong, and Indiana Co.): shsmith@pahousegop or (717) 787-3845 Representative Dave Reed (Indiana Co.): dreed@pahousegop or (717) 705-7173 Representative Stan Saylor (York Co.): ssaylor@pahousegop or (717) 783-6426 Representative Sandy Major (Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Co.): Smajor@pahousegop or (717) 783-2910 Thank you in advance for your support. Your email or phone call could be worded like the following template (make sure to PERSONALIZE, especially the wording in [brackets]): Dear Representative _________: I am a resident of [city/town name] [writing/calling] today to ask that you please send House Bill 1559 to the floor for a concurrence vote as soon as possible with no changes or amendments. HB 1559 is of utmost importance to me because [insert your connection to suicide here]. In Pennsylvania, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10-19. While some of these suicides occur without any outward warning, most young people who are suicidal do give warnings. Our schools have an important role to play in recognizing these signs and knowing what to do to support students at-risk and their families. The training and education requirements in HB 1559 will ensure that our educators are equipped with the skills and confidence to recognize when students may be at risk and to refer those students for additional help, and that our students are empowered to seek help when they notice signs of mental illness or suicide in themselves or their peers. The required policies and procedures in HB 1559 will also ensure that our schools are guided in responding safely when a suicide occurs in the school community, avoiding suicide contagion or copycat suicides and supporting school staff, students, and families. Importantly, there are several existing organizations within our state that have offered to donate their suicide prevention expertise and resources to implement all elements of HB 1559 at no additional cost to the state or to our schools. Please send House Bill 1559 to the floor for a concurrence vote as soon as possible with no changes or amendments. If passed, I am confident HB 1559 will help save young lives. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name] {Your Address] [Your Email/Phone Number]
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:10:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015