SE Oakland News

The Michigan House of Representatives recently approved a Suicide Prevention Day resolution introduced by Rep. Andrea Schroeder (R-Independence Township) that is intended to help raise awareness of the mental health battles many fight in silence.

The resolution designates Sept. 10 as a day to raise awareness and work toward preventing suicide in Michigan, according to the Michigan House Republicans website.

“Much more can and should be done to help prevent the tragic taking of a person’s own life,” Schroeder said, according to Michigan House Republicans. “The suicide rate has increased over the past two decades, and experts say this year could be even worse because of the added stresses from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Rep. Andrea Schroeder | Michigan House Republicans

One of the most effective tools for preventing suicide is simply talking about it and helping people who are at risk not to feel isolated and alone, according to recent reporting from Fox 66. 

Carrie Chanter, the manager of co-occuring service integration with the Genesee Health System, told Fox 66 that being direct -- even asking a person if they are considering suicide -- is the most effective way of countering the problems that can lead people to take their own lives.

“We must acknowledge that suicide is a major public health problem, do more to understand and recognize the warning signs, and connect people with appropriate and effective intervention strategies,” Schroeder told Michigan House Republicans.

Suicide is already the 10th-highest cause of death for all Michigan residents and the second-highest cause of death among the state’s 15- to 24-year-olds, according to Michigan House Republicans. In 2018, over 1,500 Michiganders are known to have taken their own lives.

This is the second time this year that Schroeder, who is particularly concerned with the death toll from suicide among the state’s youth, has brought the subject before her fellow lawmakers.

The Michigan House approved a plan that she presented this year entitled "Save our Students." The plan calls for including information about emergency mental health assistance through a 24-hour crisis and suicide prevention hotline on identification cards to be issued to every Michigan school student in grades 6 through 12.

In addition, her plan directs the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to compile and distribute to schools informational materials for display that would cover topics such as suicide prevention, depression and anxiety.