By Swinford H.R. No. 893 74R12914 PAN-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in the 1-2 United States today, with one suicide occurring in this nation 1-3 every 17 minutes and 30,000 reported deaths by suicide each year; 1-4 and 1-5 WHEREAS, On an average day in the United States, 87 people 1-6 will die by their own hand while hundreds more will suffer nonfatal 1-7 but frequently life-altering injuries, placing their family members 1-8 at high risk themselves of suicide and other emotional problems; 1-9 and 1-10 WHEREAS, Though these statistics are sobering, help is 1-11 available to turn the tide on this disturbing trend in the form of 1-12 trained professionals who can provide critical assistance to 1-13 suicidal individuals as well as their families and friends; and 1-14 WHEREAS, To this end, The Suicide and Crisis Center, a 1-15 nonprofit program of the Texas Panhandle Mental Health Authority, 1-16 was founded in 1968 to provide mental health services to citizens 1-17 of the upper 21 counties of the Panhandle, and today the center 1-18 boasts successful outreach programs in the communities of Hereford, 1-19 Dumas, Perryton, Borger, Pampa, and Clarendon; and 1-20 WHEREAS, One of only 90 accredited crisis centers in the 1-21 nation, The Suicide and Crisis Center offers a 24-hour hotline and 1-22 is staffed by certified crisis workers who provide vital 1-23 intervention, information, and referral services for people living 1-24 in the upper Panhandle region; and 2-1 WHEREAS, The Suicide and Crisis Center has joined with the 2-2 American Association of Suicidology in sponsoring National Suicide 2-3 Prevention Week from May 7 to May 13, 1995, in the hope that 2-4 through greater awareness, education, and treatment, suicide will 2-5 no longer rob us of our state's most vital resource, its people; 2-6 now, therefore, be it 2-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 2-8 Legislature hereby recognize May 7-13, 1995, as Suicide Prevention 2-9 Week in Texas and encourage all Texans to set aside some time 2-10 during this period to learn more about the resources available in 2-11 their communities to help put an end to this devastating loss of 2-12 human life; and, be it further 2-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-14 prepared for The Suicide and Crisis Center in commemoration of this 2-15 event and as an expression of high regard for their vital work by 2-16 the Texas House of Representatives.