MEDIA ADVISORY

9:30 a.m. Wednesday Zoom news conference

Hurtado and Ramos urge first-ever statewide suicide prevention entity to battle rising suicides amidst COVID-19

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people. Suicide among veterans is regularly in the news. Older adults make up 12 percent of the population, but account for 18 percent of suicide fatalities. All this was before calls to suicide hotlines went up since the novel coronavirus pandemic began.

Through their AB 2112, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) and Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) are urging the governor and Legislature to back creation of a statewide Office of Suicide Prevention –a mental health accountability commission’s priority to reduce California suicide rates. Through AB 2112, millions of Californians would benefit from support and prevention strategies that are not currently in place.

California does not have adequate and visible state-level leadership on suicide prevention. Independent reports from the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission call for a more focused strategy on a statewide suicide crisis that the pandemic has heightened through job losses, isolation and lack of access to quality mental health services, thereby increasing risk and aggravating unmet need. The commission’s December 2019 report, “Striving for Zero: California's Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention 2020-2025,” pressed for creation of a statewide Office of Suicide Prevention.

Hurtado, a principal co-author of the measure, said, “We must take bold moves to address the languishing mental health system. This starts by creating a visible and accountable office with the purpose of focusing on suicide prevention. We cannot continue to watch our loved ones struggle to access care when they are in crisis. By passing AB 2112, we will finally be able to access data that will help us carve out coordination and prevention strategies that we currently lack. I can’t think of a better investment than that of the health and lives of our families and friends. Suicide prevention is personal to me due to high rates of youth suicide in district, more so now having lost a loved one this year.”

 “I introduced AB 2112 in early February because I know California must do more to prevent the loss of life caused by suicide and the tremendous losses to families and communities. COVID-19 has added additional urgency to passage of this measure,” Ramos said. “Calls to hotline numbers are increasing, and other mental health issues are exacerbating an already existing crisis. AB 2112 will bring a statewide strategic, coordinated approach to our efforts that also focus on the most vulnerable populations – children and adolescents, seniors, veterans and people of color. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native children and adults ages 10 to 34. African American children ages five to 12, boys and girls, are dying by suicide at twice the rate of white children, according to last year’s Commission report. Passage of AB 2112 can save lives. I urge its approval.”

WHO: Senator Melissa Hurtado;  Assemblymember James Ramos; Eva Terrazas, Uplift Family Services and Mental Health America; Two Feathers Native American Family Services Representative

WHAT: Calling for enactment of AB 2112 

WHEN: 9:30 a.m., Wednesday August 26, 2020

WHERE: https://zoom.us/j/94955136230?pwd=WjJFVUg1dVRWcEJpUFhhbklnSDhWZz09

WHY: The Legislature has made strides in suicide prevention. However, risk of suicide and self-harm remains an issue across the state. Suicide risk is especially acute among adolescents, older adults, veterans, and LGBTQ youth and adults. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24 in the U.S., with a nationwide survey finding in 2015 that one in six high school students  reported seriously considering suicide in the previous year, and more than one in 12 reported attempting it. While resources have been allocated to address this crisis, coordination of state resources has remained a challenge.

FACTSHEET: ab_2112_ramos_fact_sheet.pdfFact Sheet

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) represents the 14^th Senate district in California, which includes cities in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. Senator Hurtado was born in Fresno, California and is a lifelong resident of Sanger. 

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