Yang Rohr Brings Attention to Suicide Prevention Month

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, is highlighting what she and colleagues have done in the General Assembly to address the mental health crisis in Illinois.

“Suicide is a prevailing issue across the nation, one that has likely been exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Yang Rohr. “This month and always, we must continue to bring awareness to this issue, focus on eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness and continue to provide resources to those who need it.”

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans and in Illinois, the 11th leading cause of death resulting in more than 1,000 deaths each year.  For young adults 15 to 34 years of age, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in Illinois. To combat this issue, Yang Rohr worked this past session to provide additional mental health resources to Illinois residents. She introduced a measure to require schools, public colleges and universities to include suicide and prevention hotline numbers on student ID cards. She also supported legislation that expands insurance coverage and telehealth options for mental health and several measures addressing mental health issues among adolescents and teens.

“I am proud of the work our state is doing to help those who struggle with mental health issues,” said Yang Rohr. “We can all help prevent suicide, and one way we can help lower the statistics is to learn more about suicide prevention tactics to help others in crisis and change the conversation around suicide.”